  We evaluate differential distributions for exclusive scalar $f_0(1500)$ meson
(glueball candidate) production for $p \bar p \to N_1 N_2 f_0$ (FAIR@GSI) and
$p p \to p p f_0$ (J-PARC@Tokai). Both QCD diffractive, pion-pion meson
exchange current (MEC) components as well as double-diffractive mechanism with
intermediate pionic loop are calculated for the first time in the literature.
The pion-pion component, which can be reliably calculated, dominates close to
the threshold while the diffractive component may take over only for larger
energies. At the moment only upper limit for the QCD-diffractive component can
be obtained. The diffractive component is calculated based on two-gluon impact
factors as well as in the framework of Khoze-Martin-Ryskin approach proposed
for diffractive Higgs boson production. Different unintegrated gluon
distribution functions (UGDFs) from the literature are used. Rather large cross
sections due to pion-pion fusion are predicted for PANDA energies, where the
gluonic mechanism is shown to be negligible. The production of $f_0(1500)$
close to threshold could limit the so-called $\pi NN$ form factor in the region
of larger pion virtualities. We discuss in detail the two-pion background to
the production of the $f_0(1500)$ meson. We compare our result with the
existing data of %the WA102 Collaboration.
