Scalpers

The PMA Sambisig Class 1991 Golf Tournament at the Philippine Navy Golf Club that was originally set to take place tomorrow has been postponed to January 27, 2011 still in the same venue.

I got word about the change in schedule from my mistahs in Manila.

This tournament is part of the fund raising projects of the class, which is one of the hosts of next year’s homecoming at the Philippine Military Academy on Baguio City set on February 19.

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One thing great about boxing promotions being held in hotel ballrooms is the convenience and comfort of those who want to enjoy the action.

I went to the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino last weekend to watch Pinoy Pride 2.

Although many said that the card would not attract as much attention as Pinoy Pride I, which was held a couple of weeks earlier, there was a good crowd last weekend.

The fighters also did not disappoint the fight fans and those who were simply curious about boxing.

While the bell-to-bell fighting ability of Milan Melindo and the knockout power of Rocky Fuentes thrilled the crowd, there were people outside of the ballroom, who I hope would not be allowed in the premises by security in the next promotion – the scalpers.

The City of Cebu has an anti-scalping ordinance that was authored by former Councilor Rico Rey Francis ‘Koko’ Holganza.

I remember how promoters, during my early days as a sportswriter, would always complain about how scalping would really affect their gate sales. What worsened the situation was that the scalpers were also selling fake tickets.

Ben Sun, who was once president of the now-defunct Cebu Basketball League and also dabbled in boxing promotion, even came up with a way to keep the syndicate from faking the tickets to his events by sticking a small ceramic button on the upper right hand corner of the tickets.

One of his business ventures produced the ceramic buttons and that somehow helped him keep the syndicate making fake tickets away.

Going to back to the promotion at Waterfront, I noticed that several people would approach you to offer you tickets and they did not look like the staff of ALA Promotions who were all in uniform and had IDs.

There were also those who did the same when I watched the Gin Blossoms concert with my son the other Saturday.

Scalpers may be a fixture in any major sporting events all over the world, but maybe the hotel security can do something about them in future events. There is a city ordinance that you can use to actually drive them away.

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MILESTONES: Belated birthday greetings go to Fred Umabong, Verona Viajar and Audrey Marie ‘Apple’ Alturas, who celebrated last Monday.

The same goes to my fraternity brother Andrew Cañete, my comare Hayley Kwan-Faustino, Tambuli’s Jojo Nazareno, Vicente Chiong, Jr., and Angelie Heart de la Merced-de Leon, who celebrated yesterday.

Today’s greetings go to Michelle Eve de Guzman. More power to all of you!