PBA board holds four-day planning session in Seoul
The Philippine Basketball Association looks to sustain the great success of the recent Governors’ Cup when the PBA board of governors and league commissioner Chito Narvasa hold their annual planning session in Seoul, South Korea from Nov. 2-6.
They craft their plans and programs for the 2016-17 PBA season where GlobalPort owner and 1Pacman party list Rep. Mikee Romero serves as chairman of the board.
Expected to attend the four-day conference at The Plaza in Myeongdong district in Seoul are outgoing chair Robert Non and other PBA governors Dickie Bachmann of Alaska Milk, Alfrancis Chua of Barangay Ginebra, Silliman Sy of Blackwater, Erick Arejola of Globalport, Tomas Alvarez of Mahindra, Al Panlilio of Meralco, Ramoncito Fernandez of NLEX, Raymond Zorrilla of Phoenix Petroleum, Mert Mondragon of Rain or Shine, Rene Pardo of Star and Patrick Gregorio of TNT KaTropa.
Deputy commissioner Rickie Santos and PBA legal consultant/corporate secretary Melvin Mendoza will also be in the summit with other Commissioner’s Office top officials Pita Dobles, Willie Marcial and Odessa Encarnacion.
Among the regular matters to be discussed include the season calendar, the tournament formats and the height ceilings of imports for PBA Season 42 starting Nov. 20.
The incoming league chairman is pushing for the strengthening of web-based platforms to reach the Filipino basketball fans around the world while Narvasa is determined to further improve the conduct of the game and the league’s competitive balance.
In the whole, Narvasa wants the PBA to be “the center of basketball excellence this part of the world.”
During the annual draft last Sunday, Narvasa called on the teams to make good use of their draft rights and help improve the league’s competitive balance that could lead to more exciting games.
The PBA is coming off a season where three different teams emerged as champions – San Miguel Beer in the Philippine Cup, Rain or Shine in the Commissioner’s Cup and Barangay Ginebra in the Governors Cup.
Romero wants to reach Filipino basketball fans around the world.
“We have to go high-tech. That’s the way we can bring the PBA to the consciousness of every Filipino whether they are in the country or working abroad,” said Romero.
“PBA games should be available to everybody because that’s also one way of promoting our country,” Romero also said.
The PBA delegation leaves for Korea via a PAL flight at 2 p.m. Wednesday.
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