Innovations to spice up new PBA season

MANILA, Philippines – New rules, new format, new league.

The Philippine Basketball Association is ready to usher in a new era Sunday with its 49th season filled with innovations and surprises that also rolls an early red carpet for a bigger act in its golden anniversary next year.

Highlighted by the introduction of a historic 4-point line, the Asia’s first pro league raises the curtain for the import-spiced Governors’ Cup at the iconic Smart Araneta Coliseum with hopes of blazing a trail for world basketball.

“Today we’re alone. Tomorrow, we’ll be plenty,” declared PBA Board of Governors chairman Ricky Vargas, also the representative of Talk ‘N Text during the league’s preseason presser at the Edsa Shangri-La in Mandaluyong.

“If you don't innovate, you die, so we decided to innovate. The PBA innovates with fans in mind,” he added, noting the same criticisms back in the day when the United States adopted a groundbreaking three-point shot.

Unanimously approved by the PBA board members — who were all present during the presser — in its season planning last month in Japan, the PBA’s pioneering 4-point line will be an added 27-feet arc line beyond the traditional 23-feet three-point line from the basket.

It was first tested by the PBA in the 2024 PBA All-Star Weekend in Bacolod when Robert Bolick completed a five-point play from the longer distance to erase a 135-140 deficit and force overtime.

And it’s just the tip of the iceberg as the PBA also implements a new format for the Governors’ Cup to be headlined by Meralco — with returning Allen Durham on board — and the Magnolia led by ex-NBA Slam Dunk champion Glen Robinson III in the one-game opener after the ceremony and the Leo Awards for 48th season.

From a traditional single elimination, the 12 teams have been split to two groups (Converge, Terrafirma, NorthPort, Talk ‘N Text, Magnolia and Meralco in Group A with Blackwater, Phoenix, NLEX, Rain or Shine, Meralco, San Miguel and Ginebra in Group B).

Teams will play their group mates twice with the top four teams from each pool advancing to the quarterfinals, where top-ranked teams will have no advantage for the first time.

Instead of a twice-to-beat perks for No. 1 and No. 2 teams, all eight squads will tussle in a best-of-five quarterfinals until the semifinals and the finals, both under best-of-seven formats.

The PBA has also lifted the restrictions for imports in the Commissioner’s Cup, allowing unlimited height for the first time in recent memory as Hong Kong Eastern club is “almost” a lock to serve as a guest team.

Other added rules for this season are the removal of the over the backboard violation (otherwise when it hit the shot clock), restriction of suspension of play for injuries and stumbles for 15 seconds only (otherwise a mandatory substitution) and the downgrading of technical fouls on coaches for crossing the hash marks to just a warning on first offense.

And to top it off in celebration of the league’s innovations, the PBA will offer tickets amounting to only P49 on opening day to welcome more fans on a first-come-first-served basis.