Bacolod Masskara

History

The Bacolod Master Sardines first entered the MPBL as an expansion team for the 2019–20 season, making them one of the first two clubs from Western Visayas, along with the Iloilo United Royals. Their debut season ended with an 11–19 record, placing them 11th in the South Division. For the 2021 MPBL Invitational, the team competed as the All-Star Bacolod Ballers and landed in Group A with the future expansion side Negros Muscovados. They went 3–2 in group play, finishing third and missing the playoffs.

In 2022, Mark Yee, the reigning Finals MVP, joined the squad. His presence pushed Bacolod to its first playoff berth, finishing fifth in the South Division with a 14–7 mark, and Yee earned Defensive Player of the Year honors. They knocked off fourth-seeded GenSan in the First Round and pushed top-seeded Zamboanga to a deciding Game 3 in the Division Semifinals, but ultimately lost. Before the 2023 season, Yee and Jhan Nermal, among others, departed for the Bacoor City Strikers.

Bacolod then slipped to ninth place with an 11–17 record, finishing one game behind eighth-seeded Iloilo and missing the playoffs again. In 2024, nine-time PBA champion Alex Cabagnot was named head coach but never played for the team, leaving mid-season for the Converge FiberXers. On January 3, 2025, following reports of tryouts for a new Bacolod team for the upcoming season, the league clarified it did not recognize that team, and the existing franchise would continue for 2025.

FilBasket

For the 2026 season, the team rebranded as the Bacolod Masskara. On July 30, the MPBL suspended the franchise for the rest of the season after allegations of game manipulation in a July 28 game against the Bulacan Kuyas, and issued a permanent ban on the players and coaches involved. Before their 2022 MPBL campaign, the team was invited to FilBasket’s 2022 Summer Championship, where they finished third in the elimination round with seven wins and reached the semifinals, losing to the Nueva Ecija Capitals in two games.

Team identity

The team's current identity derives from Bacolod's moniker as the 'City of Smiles' in the country. The alternate name, Maskaras, alludes to the MassKara Festival which is held in Bacolod city.

Notable players

Mark Yee won MPBL Defensive Player of the Year in 2022. Paolo Javelona was an All-Star selection in 2020, Mark Yee in 2022, and Louie Vigil in 2024. Ex-PBA players who have played for the team include Harold Arboleda, RR Garcia, Mac Tallo, Mark Yee, and Louie Vigil. Simon Camacho was drafted 34th overall in the 2019 PBA draft.