PBA to become a 14-team league in 2016

MADRID – The Philippine Basketball Association is opening its doors to two more expansion teams, making the PBA a 14-team league by 2016.

The PBA board of governors, now under chairman Patrick Gregorio of Talk n Text, approved this during their meeting in the sideline of the FIBA World Cup Group B competition in Seville.

“Prospective applicants can apply now. We’re accepting two more additional franchises in 2016,” said Gregorio.

The board made the decision with a host of many other companies expressing interest to join the league, following the entry of Kia, Blackwater Sports and NLEX this year.

The Lamoiyan Group is the most serious with owner Cecilio Pedro even joining the PBA group here to throw support to Gilas Pilipinas.

To start their plan to join the PBA, Hapee Toothpaste (a Lamoiyan brand) is taking over the NLEX team in the PBA D-League.

“Of course, we have no other way to go but the PBA,” said Pedro.

During the meeting, outgoing chairman Mon Segismundo reported an increase in the league’s income even as gate attendance was slightly down as the PBA was forced to play almost daily to compress the 2013-14 season and accommodate Gilas’ preparation for the World Cup.

The tight schedule obviously affected the gate attendance but not the sales that drew new record numbers during the blockbuster playoffs in each of the three conferences.

Also considered as an achievement by the league during Segismundo’s chairmanship was the league’s expansion.

Expansion was a part of the program Segismundo laid down when he took over the chairmanship from Barangay Ginebra’s Robert Non in 2013.

The league lured Kia Motors and Blackwater Sports to come in as expansion teams for the coming PBA Season 40.

Gregorio said they would work hard to raise the PBA to an even higher level.