14 TEAMS FOR PBA SEASON 41?
MADRID, Spain – Just a year after opening the season with an all-time high 12 teams, the PBA is ready to reset the record after only a year.
There may be 14 teams in the traditional parade when the PBA unveils its 41st season in October 2015, after the PBA Board of Governors, now under chairman Patrick Gregorio of Talk n Text, approved the entry of two expansion teams during the Board Meeting at the sidelines 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 decision was made after several companies expressed 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 his support to Gilas Pilipinas.
For starters, 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 average gate attendance was slightly down as the PBA was forced to play almost daily to compress the 2014 season and accommodate Gilas’ preparation for the World Cup.
The tight schedule obviously affected average 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 vital 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.
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