PBA sets Macau agenda

By Joaquin Henson
The Philippine Star
Wednesday, September 19, 2007

The PBA Board of Governors will convene in Macau on Sept. 26-27 to lay the groundwork for the coming season and set the stage for a long-term program that could include incorporating the league and building its own arena.

PBA OIC Sonny Barrios told The STAR the other day the Board will also take up the budget for the year and discuss how to proceed in selecting a permanent commissioner.

Barrios said when he was appointed OIC last month, the budget was already 85 percent finished by former commissioner Noli Eala so it didn’t take too much more to complete the job. He complimented the PBA’s department heads for their efforts in putting together a solid budget.

With regard to choosing the next commissioner, Barrios said chairman Tony Chua has suggested the formation of a five-man selection committee. But no definite proposal has been submitted to the Board.

“I expect it to be taken up in Macau,” said Barrios. “The Board is aware that my term ends at the end of the Philippine Cup so the timetable is clear. I understand the proposal is for the five-man committee to be made up of the chairman, vice chairman Joaqui Trillo, treasurer Robert Non and two members of the Board, one of whom is former chairman Ricky Vargas.”

Barrios said he also expects the Board to debate the pros and cons of transforming the PBA into a corporation and to determine how to proceed in planning for the construction of its own stadium.

Asked if the PBA will lend players to the national team playing in the Southeast Asian Games in Bangkok this December, Barrios said it is not likely.

“As far as I know, the PBA’s next commitment is to support the national team in 2009 for the FIBA-Asia qualifiers to the World Championships,” said Barrios. “If there is a change in the plans, maybe it will be brought up in Macau. I don’t think there are commitments before 2009.”

Barrios said only one game is in the bill for the season-opening extravaganza at the Araneta Coliseum on Oct. 14.

“Who will play the opener isn’t decided yet,” said Barrios. “We’re reviewing, which teams played the opener in the last three or four years. We’ll try to come up with the pairing by this week.”

PBA basketball operations manager Rickie Santos said the Philippine Cup schedule has not been finalized as negotiations are still ongoing for provincial hosts. At the moment, the plan is to play elimination games in 10 out-of-town venues, including Cagayan de Oro, Malolos, Roxas City, Lucena, General Santos City, Dumaguete and Tacloban. An added attraction is doubleheaders will be played in Lucena and Malolos. The list excludes major cities like Cebu, Davao and San Fernando, Pampanga.

PBA media bureau chief Willie Marcial said Bacolod and Puerto Princesa are under negotiation.

The tournament format for the Philippine Cup will be the same as last season with one team dropping out after the double round eliminations, a wild card phase, a quarterfinal series and best-of-7 match-ups in the semifinals and finals. The innovation will be the introduction of five FIBA rules.

In the Fiesta Conference next year, Singapore is the leading candidate to host an overseas game. Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, are also bidding to host. Former PBA cager Abe King is proposing a US date but league sources said it will be for the 2008-09 season.

The Fiesta Conference will allow each team to recruit an import of unlimited height.