Hopes high for PBA Season 37

HONG KONG – New PBA board chairman Mamerto Mondragon hopes to broaden the league’s fan base and strengthen its D-League as it rides the momentum of its successful 2010-11 season.

Mondragon said his end goal is for the league to at least match its P90 million income last season, and he’s optimistic they can attain it with a refined three-conference format, new broadcast partner in TV5 and a slew of young, exciting players.

“It’s attainable,” said Mondragon at the close of the PBA summit at the Holiday Inn Golden Mile Hotel in Tsim Sha Tsui yesterday.

“We enjoyed a marked increase in gate attendance and we hope it will continue this season,” said Mondragon, the Rain or Shine executive.

Mondragon is confident he’ll get the full backing of the board as they try to make the league even more vibrant in its 37th season starting Oct. 2.

“I’m still feeling my way around but the governors are there to assist me. I have to admit Season 36 under chairman (Rene) Pardo was a tough act to follow, but we’ll really try our best (to achieve our goal in the coming season),” said Mondragon.

The governors promised their full cooperation even as they expressed trust and confidence on the competence of the new chair.

“I’m sure Attorney Mondragon is very able,” said the immediate past PBA chairman. “And he will have the 100 percent support of everybody.”

Mondragon and league commissioner Chito Salud are convinced visiting the barangays will help broaden the league’s fan base.

“We’ll encourage teams to hold clinics in the barangays,” Mondragon said.

Salud has earlier said they will try to attract the attention and interest of the 13-35 age level.

Meanwhile, Pardo is now looking forward to pay more attention to his team, hopeful of its prospect with a fortified lineup.

“Kerby (Raymundo) is returning, and so is Rico (Maierhofer). So we’re really excited,” said Pardo, eager to fly back home to see the Llamados who are now under coach Richard del Rosario.

The board was in Day Two of talks here Tuesday when Pardo was informed of the SMC top bosses of the coaching switch that relegated Jorge Gallent to assistant coach.

Hit hard by injuries, the Llamados struggled with a 20-24 win-loss record last season.

But the team is back in shape and hopes to emerge as a top title contender with a frontline featuring Raymundo, Maierhofer, Rafi Reavis, Marc Pingris and Joe Devance.

“Bloggers call them the Sampayan Brigade,” said Pardo, referring to the five Llamados’ defensive and rebounding prowess.

NOTES: In its three-day planning session here, the PBA board bid adieu to former member Manny Mendoza of Red Bull and welcomed a new one in Shiela Lina of Shopinas... Shiela will have younger sister Berta as his alternate representative to the board. Both attended the summit... Though no longer a member of the board, Mendoza was invited to attend the Hong Kong confab. In a dinner hosted by Coca-Cola’s JB Baylon Tuesday, Mendoza delivered a farewell remark, grateful for the oppurtunity to work with the PBA board.