MONEY FIX KILLS MBA, LONG LIVE THE RBA?
Manila, Aug 4, 1998 - It seems to be final and irreversible. All 12 teams of the Metropolitan Basketball Association have bolted from Metroball, the franchisee of the MBA. Pangasinan Presidents's Tim Orbos, spokesperson of the 12 teams, said they formalized resignation effective yesterday.
Orbos said they offered P7.5 million to Metroball officials for the buy-out that would have terminated all connections with the current officialdom of MBA headed by Rene Olbes.
''They wanted P18 million and that's P20,000 per share,'' said Orbos. ''We simply could not agree to such an exorbitant price.'' The 12 teams have collectibles from Metroball amounting to ''some P9 million in gate receipts and P3.8 million in ad revenues accruing to each team.'' Orbos said they would come up with a new name to govern operations of the 12 teams before the end of the month.
The 12 teams are now searching for a new league name. Orbos said either Piba (Pinoy Basketball Association) and RBA (Regional Basketball Association) ''seem all right.'' But he added all the 12 teams will have to be unanimous in the new name to be adopted.
Even teams' names will have to be changed. Of the 12 teams, only four teams will be able to retain their names--Cebu Gems, Batangas Blades, Davao Eagles and Socsargen Marlins. The rest would have to produce names for the new league because Metroball holds the copyright for them.
For the TV coverage crucial to the league's popularity and financial success, team owners have cemented their alliance with television giant ABS-CBN, an arrangement that would present the same concept of regional basketball.
Reported by: Sol Jose Vanzi
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