There were reports that Valley Dawgs general manager Sam Unera is having a hard time getting sponsors that would defray the cost of their trip since they would just play mere exhibition games in small venues, serving as pre-season series of the PBA in September.
PBA commissioner Noli Eala said they wouldn’t give visiting squads free accommodations and stressed it would just be exhibition games "because I don’t want to preempt our regular tournament."
Aside from Pennsylvania Valley Dawgs, the SK Telecom Knights team of South Korea is invited to play in the pre-season series. The Knights intend to use the series as the final part of their buildup for their campaign in the South Korean league which also opens in October.
"Kung walang sponsor ang Valley Dawgs, cancel ang series nila versus PBA teams. Hindi naman kasi sila bibigyan ng free accommodation ng PBA," said Eala.
The PBA commissioner, however, said Unera during their talk Wednesday, remained optimistic he could get a sponsorship deal. The Filipino US-based player agent event broached the idea of tapping the services of the legendary Robert "Big J" Jaworski to call the shots for the Dawgs.
Unera told Eala the Dawgs would probably be sponsored by Cirsure, a multi-vitamin distributed here by Photokina Marketing, owner of the Red Bull Barako ball club. In a phone conversation with The STAR, Photokina top executive Tony Chua, however, said they may not enter into the picture without the necessary media mileage they would get in return.
"You have to consider this is business. Kung wala naman makukuhang mileage, eh bakit ka papasok diyan?," said Chua. "Kung walang paglalabanan championship, walang TV exposure at sa maliliit na gyms lang lalaruin, wala lugi ang sponsorship."
The sponsorship deal would be worth P3 million.
Eala, however, said he’s been assured by ABC-5 the games will be put on air although these would only be exhibition games.
And since these would only be tune-up tiffs, Eala said he would allow the teams to field in more than 12 players.
"Reserves at tryouts would be allowed to play. This would give the players the opportunity to show their wares and have a crack at the official roster," said Eala.
Meanwhile, Red Bull’s and Purefoods’ trip to Brunei is now a 100-percent done deal. Coca-Cola, however, is officially out of it.
"We got the official word just today (yesterday). The organizers and officials of Red Bull and Purefoods agreed 20 persons per team will get free accommodation. And the tournament schedule is now set Sept. 19-Oct. 1," said PBA operations chief Rickie Santos.
The Tigers are not joining the tourney after all as organizers opted to invite a South Korean team instead of a third PBA squad.