PBA: Not the same when they return?

With the NBA close to making their return plans official, the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) is expected to follow suit. The terms for Asia’s first professional basketball league seem easier, since they can just play one conference, the Philippine Cup. With the tournament lasting about three months, they can afford to start in August or September.

The schedule is easier to manage with the suspension of international competition. The league can concentrate on its own agenda. But even that may be complicated.

With the global financial sting affecting almost all industries, some of the companies may have felt the need to reevaluate their investments in entertainment and sports.

Sad farewell?

Will the PBA remain the same after the quarantine? Probably not. Most industries worldwide have felt the pinch, and sadly, even the corporations that make up the league are not immune. The buzz has been going around that one esteemed franchise may have to sell its stake in the PBA. This team has had considerable success, and it would truly be a loss since they do have their own legion of die-hard fans.

The team owner has been outspoken with his views toward the dominance of the two “empires” in the league. They have espoused integrity and fair play, and because of the existence of various “sister teams,” the league may no longer be an even playing field even when the PBA has rules in place. Perhaps this led him to question whether the fight was still worth it, especially since they feel that they are losing their chances to win fair and square.

In the corporate world, only results matter. Thus, the winner is the one who believes that “where there’s a will, there’s a way” — unscrupulous or not. We cannot stress this enough: the PBA is a corporation and will always be run like a corporation more than a sports league. Too much meddling in the ballroom may corrupt the finished product on the court. Championships become hollow and meaningless, and fans can’t help but walk away.

The replacements

Despite the recession, there are still corporations that have expressed intentions to join the PBA. The only caveat is that they may be in a tactical alliance with one of the empires. This will lead to fervent opposition from the rival empire. They keep using the rule that rival products cannot enter the league. Remember how Phoenix Petroleum could not get in because of Petron? It is a similar scenario.

The PBA should decide whether they would keep this cycle in place. However, if empires dominate the Board, they will subscribe to the corporate adage: Preserve your interests by eliminating your enemies.

Somehow the interests of the empires would align when it comes to winning over neutral parties. That is how they exercise control. This ensures that the door is closed for their rivals. Remember how Smart and Globe have become a duopoly by buying out smaller players? How does our internet compare with other countries? Didn’t the service improve only when a third telco got involved?

This is the corporate picture, and the PBA seems bound to make the same mistakes. Basketball fans, just like the internet users (and are probably the same people) are hungry for alternatives.

MPBL moves on

Speaking of alternatives, the MPBL has decided to move on to the 2021 season, although Commissioner Kenneth Duremdes (who probably knows about the aforementioned sad news) assured that the remaining semifinals and finals series of the Lakan Cup will push through once allowed by government.

Just like the NBA, they will play in one venue with the teams and officials of the San Juan Knights-Go for Gold, Makati Super Crunch,Davao Occidental Tigers-Cocolife and Basilan Steel-Jumbo Plastic will still have a chance to claim the league’s 2nd overall title.

Sports has really taken a hit, and even school teams have been disbanded. However, these are all temporary roadblocks. The biggest problems nagging Philippine basketball — and sports in general, are politics and greed.

Good news?

There is a chance that Ateneo center Ange Kouame may be granted an exemption to play as a local after he gets naturalized. More next column.