PBA banner season earns P75 million

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Basketball Association, the country’s top sports-entertainment business, reported yesterday gross earnings of P75.3 million for its 2009-2010 season, representing an increase of 6.6 percent from its sales the previous year.

 “Based on those figures alone, we really exceeded our target in the season,” said outgoing PBA commissioner Renauld “Sonny” Barrios as he graced the weekly PSA Forum at Shakey’s UN Ave.

Elated over the success of the just concluded season, Barrios and other PBA officials expect another banner year as it presents a mix of old and new for the 2010-2011 campaign firing off with the Meralco-Barangay Ginebra game on Oct. 3 at the Araneta Coliseum.

Barrios and board chairman Rene Pardo are upbeat the PBA will remain as vibrant as ever, picking up from where it left off last campaign.

Barrios said the league recorded a gross earning of P37 million just in the season-ending Fiesta Conference ruled by the Alaska Milk Aces.

A switch back to the old three-conference format, a new team in Meralco, a bunch of talented rookies and busy off-season wheeling and dealing for team buildup could well make up for an interesting 2010-2011 season.

The season also opens with a new commissioner in Atty. Chito Salud who is taking over after Barrios has served for three years as the league’s top honcho.

“I’m stepping down happy the league is in good hands,” said Barrios in the session presented by Outlast Battery, Pagcor and Shakey’s.

“The late commissioner Jun Bernardino, the late PBA legal counsel Butch Cleofe and myself consider Atty. Rudy Salud as our mentor. We’ve learned a lot from the man. What more is the son (Chito)?” Barrios added.

With Barrios set to retire at the end of the month, the young Salud is actually already serving as acting commissioner, overseeing the PBA events slated in the run-up to the Oct. 3 inaugurals.

Salud presents to the board his program during their annual planning session in Hong Kong set next week.

Before the Hong Kong gab, the PBA holds its annual Rookie Draft Sunday at Market! Market! Place in Taguig where Rabeh Al-Hussaini and Noy Baclao are expected to be the first two picks by Air21.

League officials look forward to another banner season, which they can use as leverage for a better TV contract. The PBA would have earned close to P.5 billion by the end of its three-year pact with Solar Sports this coming season.

“Business-wise, the PBA is really healthy,” said Barrios, also mentioning the success of the B-MEG Derby Ace and Powerade products in carrying their brand names in the league.

“We just finished fourth in the Fiesta Conference but our products enjoyed brisk sale. What more had we won the championship,” said Pardo.

The Coca-Cola management decided to change its team name from Coke to Powerade for the coming season, encouraged by its successful partnership with the PBA on the national team’s stint in the 2009 FIBA Asia tournament.