A new home-and-away basketball league, which promises to be better than previous ones, is in the offing.
Liga Pilipinas, born out of the merger between three stakeholders in the sport, is all set for its inaugural season, firing off with a weekend bill on May 23 to 25 in key cities of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.
Former PBA commissioner Noli Eala is the man behind Liga Pilipinas. In yesterday’s PSA Forum at Shakey’s UN Avenue, he laid down the blueprint of the project that has what it takes to succeed.
“There’s still a lot of talent in the regions. And we believe that talents in the provinces should stay in the provinces. I’m not saying it will be a big hit immediately. But it’s time to go out of the Big City,” he said.
“Our budget is not big enough to attract the big stars. But for a young talent it will be more than enough for him to stay in his province, stay with his family and play,” Eala added.
The league, which has attracted 16 teams from the North and South, allows each team 14 players (12 to play), including eight home-grown talents, two ex-pros and a Fil-foreigner.
From the North are Ilocos Sur, Baguio, Pampanga, Taguig, Cavite, Batangas, Laguna and Rizal; and from the South Cebu, Mandaue, Bacolod, Iloilo from Visayas, Misamis Oriental, Zamboanga, Davao and Ozamis from Mindanao.
Eala said a few other teams are knocking on the door, but the expansion should come in the next two or three years. Games will be played in 16 different venues throughout the season.
“This league is fresh, noble, dynamic and young. All we need now is to be given the chance,” said Eala, adding that talks are on with producers and TV stations which could air the games.
He added that the games can be seen on the internet.
The idea was patterned after the defunct Metropolitan Basketball Association, a regional league, which lasted only four years after being formed in 1998.
“I think the MBA became too eager to compete with the PBA. That will never happen with Liga Pilipinas because how can you even compare yourself with a 33-year-old league,” said Eala.
“We will not fall into that. We are all students of history here,” added Eala who heads a tight crew made up of Rico Meneses (marketing/sales TV affairs), Butch Antonio (basketball operations), Joey Bautista (business development) and Perry Martinez (technical department and player relations).
Liga Pilipinas is owned by Pinoy Basketbol, Inc., the newest member of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas.
PBI is a merger of stakeholders National Basketball Conference, Mindanao-Visayas Basketball Association and Third Force, Inc.
The PBI board is made up of Tac Padilla (chairman), Gov. Oscar Moreno (vice chairman), Jose Soberano (treasurer), Michelle Lhuillier, Mayor Bambol Tolentino, Tito Palma, Andrew Teh, Jean Teh, Eala, and three representatives from team owners in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.
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