Match or better phenom of a season - Non

MACAU – For new PBA board chairman Robert Non, the goal is to at least match, if not surpass, the accomplishments of the pro league under former chair Mert Mondragon.

“The league enjoyed huge success last season and it’s a tough act to follow. The minimum goal is to match it. It’s challenging but exciting,” Non told The STAR in an exclusive interview.

“We’re back in the mainstream of public consciousness. We should sustain it. There should be no turning back for the PBA,” Non also said.

The 57-year-old San Miguel Corp. executive, a native of Pagsanjan, Laguna, has his own ideas to attract more fans, making him confident they can hit their target of improving by six percent the live gate attendance they enjoyed last year.

Special exhibition games, special events and selling the PBA games in the airport, airplanes, bus stations etc. are among his ideas.

And as chairman, he intends to work closely with commissioner Chito Salud.

Non, a commerce graduate from Adamson U, should rise to the challenge, having been in basketball for around three decades.

He got his first involvement in organized basketball in the early 80s, working behind the scene in the old PABL then under chairman Oscar Villadolid from SMC.

He assumed his first official post in the PBA in 1998, serving as team manager of San Miguel Beer.

He was later promoted as sports chief of San Miguel Corp. and, at the same time, tapped as alternate representative of Barangay Ginebra to the PBA board.

He’s been in the league board since 2001.

Non played the game a lot in his adolescent years, making the rounds of Paco and Sta. Ana areas for inter-barangay and inter-color tourneys.

And he’s proud to play for the Manuel Roxas High School team in Paco in his senior year.

“Doon nag-graduate si Jawo (basketball living legend Robert Jaworski),” Non said proudly.

Married to the former Noemi Lazam with three kids and a bouncing grandchild, Non didn’t go any further playing the sport but has reached the very top of the PBA echelon.

Take a vow, Sir Robert!