PBL close to sealing deal with Studio 23

The contract-signing between the Philippine Basketball League (PBL) and Studio 23, a URL channel of television giant ABS-CBN, for the TV coverage of the games will be held this week in time for the season-opening of the second PBL Unity Cup Sunday at the Makati Coliseum.

Butch Maniego, executive assistant to commissioner Chino Trinidad, said the contract-signing will be made either tomorrow when the first conference is formally launched at the ELJ Building in Quezon City or on Thursday when ABS-CBN top honcho Gabby Lopez and team owners meet in a cocktail party.

"All settled na, signing na lang kulang. It’s set either during the press conference (Wednesday) or in the team owners’ party with Gabby Lopez (Thursday)," Maniego said.

Although no pre-league publicity has yet been launched by Studio 23, which is the coveror of Metro Manila collegiate leagues NCAA and UAAP, players and coaches of the competing ballclubs are already allowed to grace the show and promote the league.

In fact, Studio 23 is reportedly airing live the opening ceremony at 1 p.m. and a pair of games featuring Toyota Otis-Letran against Viva Mineral Water-Far Eastern University at 2 p.m. and Lee Pipes-Ateneo versus Sunkist-University of Santo Tomas at 4 p.m.

Ushering in the new season is the traditional parade by participating teams, to be spiced up by the song and dance numbers by the popular Viva Hot Babes.

Also seeing action this conference are reigning 2003 Platinum Cup champion Hapee Toothpaste, Welcoat Paints, Blustar Detergent and Montana Pawnshop.

The PBL worked with Studio 23 only last year as blocktimers using its own television production.

But the league’s in-house crew was disbanded, paving the way for Studio 23, which used to telecast the defunct Metropolitan Basketball Association (MBA), to take full control in covering the PBL games for the next three seasons. — Joey Villar