Next PBA Team: Global Port Batang Pier ?

PBA Ready To Expand

By WAYLON GALVEZ
June 27, 2012, 5:13pm


PBA Commissioner Angelico “Chito” Salud said Wednesday that the pro league is ready for expansion, and the intention of Global Port under Mikee Romero to join is a clear sign that the PBA remains the No. 1 sports entertainment in the country.

“The more the better, we’re ready to expand,” Salud told the Bulletin in a phone interview yesterday.

“The intent entry of Mikee Romero through Global Port is very clear signal, a very clear sign that the PBA remains very attractive. I don’t see any problem adding a new team,” added Salud.

The other day, Romero, also the CEO and president of Harbour Centre, met with Salud and discussed his desire to rejoin the league. Romero was with Burger King (Air21) in 2009 but pulled out after a few games.

Also discussed by Salud and Romero is the possibility of purchasing an existing franchise – if there’s one available. If none, Romero said he is willing to spend just to have a new team starting next season.

Romero, also co-owner of Air-Asia PH Patriots in the ASEAN Basketball League (ABL), will still have to put in writing his intention to purchase a new franchise, and he plans to do that this week.

Romero needs to get approval from the PBA Board of Governors. A two-thirds vote or seven out of 10 teams will give Global Port the ‘green light’ to become the league’s 11^th member team.

Scheduling and availability of players will not be a problem, according to Salud.

“I don’t think it will be a problem (schedule and format), and we also have many players and the exposure of each team will not dwindle. It’s just a matter of having the right format,” he said.

If and when the board approves Romero’s bid, this will the all-time high for the PBA as far as having the number of teams.

When the league started in 1975, it opened shop with nine teams. During the early 80s, the league was cut to six teams due to political unrest in the country. By the late 80s, two more team joined to make it eight.

In 1999, Tanduay rejoined the PBA and Barako Bull entered the following year, and since then, the PBA maintained its 10-member teams. During the Governors’ Cup last season, Barako Bull filed a leave-of-absence.

At the start of the season, the number of teams returned to 10 with the entry of Shopinas.Com (now Air21).

Source: MB

Just last week, Mikee sat down with PBA Comnmissioner Chito Salud to discuss his takeover of the Powerade franchise.

Salud is reportedly convincing Mikee to buy a new franchise, but the businessman/sportsman prefers to purchase the Powerade (Coca-Cola) franchise lock, stock and barrel for two good reasons.

First, the present Tigers lineup is highly competitive, as has been proven last conference. Mikee is a man who hates to lose and buying a franchise where he will have to form the lineup from scratch, might have little appeal to him.

Second, Mikee heard it straight from the Commissioner himself that the Gary David-led Tigers is now the fourth most popular PBA team next to Ginebra, B-Meg and Petron, in that order.

Commissioner Salud told him that this claim is supported by a recent survey. If Mikee takes over the Powerade franchise, it is likely that he will keep head coach Bo Perasol and majority of the current Tigers lineup. I heard that Bo is being eyed to take over the head coaching post at Ateneo after this UAAP season. But Bo, a graduate of the University of the Philippines, is inclined to stay put at Powerade.

Norman Black, who gave the Blue Eagles four consecutive titles in the UAAP, is moving up to the PBA this October where he will replace Chot Reyes as Talk ‘N Text head coach.

If and when Mikee buys the Powerade franchise, his charismatic persona is sure to add popularity to the team, while his highly competitive spirit is sure to propel the team upwards.

In a birthday party I attended last Friday, Mikee was called to the podium by the evening’s emcee Snow Badua who introduced him, among many other designations as, “the owner of new PBA team Global Ports.”

Snow said the players of the team will have the moniker “Batang Pier.”


via-Inquirer