NBN-4 still hoping to sign new pact with PBA

With the PBA board of governors waiting for the new year to announce its new "coveror," the National Broadcasting Network Channel 4 remains hopeful it can strike a new deal with the country’s premier cage league for their continued partnership for the PBA television coverage.

NBN-4 chairperson Mia Concio said she was hoping to get a call from the PBA, awaiting a precious birthday gift in the form of a positive response on their bid to gain the exclusive PBA broadcast rights. Concio turned a year older yesterday.

"I really have faith the PBA will not let us down. They will not just abandon us," said Concio, keeping a never-say-die attitude despite reports that the PBA board has closed a deal with ABC-5.

"Mahirap magsalita ng tapos dahil wala pa naman announcement ang PBA. Who knows baka biglang tumawag ang IBC-13 and say ready na silang bumalik sa simul. Remember, we have the LC (Letter of Credit) to take care of the money part," Concio also said, still entertaining the possibility of meeting the requirements imposed by the PBA board until today to keep their original three-year pact.

But Concio told The STAR they have offered a new proposal which PBA commissioner Noli Eala presented to the board in its meeting Monday. The NBN-4 lady chair said: "We have a good offer which could be the best (better than those of ABC-5, Jemah Productions and Solar Sports)."

The NBN-4 proposal is a joint venture where the government-owned network would do the production and take care of the airtime and technical cost while the PBA is tasked to do the marketing.

Under this set-up, NBN-4 is offering to give the PBA the first P100 million of their sales.

And out of the estimated P87-million value of the production, airtime and technical aspects of the coverage for 2004, P56 million will be deducted, representing NBN-4’s arrears to the PBA from October to December this year.

Furthermore, with a P31-million balance, NBN-4 is willing to get this only on a monthly installment basis, beginning June to December.

"Hindi na masamang deal ito. Let’s assume we gross P350 million. Less 15 percent in advertising, 10 percent in marketing, and you have P268 million. And less the P31 million they have to pay on the production and airtime cost, they have P236 million income for the year," said an NBN-4 official, basing his estimation on the P350-million sale by Viva-Vintage in 2002.

Concio admitted they sold less than that this year because of the several problems and controversies (the "Fil-sham" and illegal drug issues among others) the NBN-IBC consortium had to face.

"We value our partnership with the PBA. Nakita naman nila, we were left behind by Channel 13 and Summit Sports but NBN-4 kept our commitment up the last minute. We’re counting on that weight. Besides, I really have faith the PBA board is made up of true gentlemen and they will not just abandon us," said Concio.

"Hindi lang naman sila ang nag-suffer, kami rin nag-suffer nang husto. We’ve been through a lot. Sana naman huwag lang sa good times kami magsama, kundi sa bad times din," Concio added.

What if they eventually lose the TV coverage? "If we lose? Another leasson learned in life," said Concio.