It’s June once again and the biggest basketball show these days will be college basketball. Now that the NBA is done with only the PBA and PBL-Liga games ongoing, focus is going to shift to the intense action of college ball. A quick look at the scene will bring out the bad news that the Manila leagues continue to pull away from us in terms of competitive level, crowd support and over-all branding.
The UAAP and NCAA are easily the most popular collegiate leagues in the country, with our CESAFI being the top league outside of Manila (I must add with a lot of bias). The NCAA kicked off its 86th season yesterday at the Araneta Coliseum with live TV coverage over ABS-CBN’s Studio 23 while the UAAP’s Season 73 follows with its own opening ceremonies later this month. Cebu’s CESAFI kicks off on July 31. The only common thing among all these are the talks about its opening days. Beyond that, I’m afraid the UAAP and NCAA have left us behind.
Just one look at TV and the news in the sports pages are enough to see the difference. Both the UAAP and NCAA are flooded with advertisers that dominate the TV airwaves and the venue of the games. The mere fact that most, if not all the games of both leagues will be aired live over TV is already a testament to its following. It’s rather simple. If your league has a following, people will watch the games on TV. If there’s a crowd that will watch these games on TV, advertisers will follow.
Both also have updated websites with relevant information about their respective leagues. Of interest to us Cebu fans is the fact that you’ll see a touch of Cebu in their websites. The Nazareno brothers Dominic (USC South) and Daryl (USC South and Sacred Heart School Jesuit) were once big names in the Cebu youth basketball scene. They are part of San Beda’s high school team which happens to be coached by Cebuano Britt Reroma. Reroma once played for Don Bosco before moving to Manila to play for San Beda. Former Sacred Heart School Jesuit Passerelle players Jasper Diaz and Rene Sta. Maria are listed in the La Salle Greenhills high school team which plays under the tag of College of St. Benilde (also a La Salle school).
Products of both the UAAP and NCAA are a common sight in the PBA and PBL, another proof that the country’s best players may be found in Manila although we’ll disagree with this. I’ll set a disclaimer to this. Manila will have the best set of players who have learned to play well within the systems of their respective coaches. This is why they look good. Basketball is a game of systems and the players that can best adapt to their so-called “system” will stand out.
But why do I cite all these (and I do this every year)? I just want to remind the Cebu basketball community that while we’re still deep in talent in our own turf, it looks like we’re being left behind by the big boys up there in Manila. And it’s not that we can’t do it. The CESAFI’s opening ceremonies is always filled to the rafters. The games are well-attended with the playoffs and championship games drawing full-house crowds. With eight teams in the college division and nine in high school, that’s more than enough to get a basketball league going. So what gives? Why don’t we have TV coverages? Why the absence of advertisers like those in Manila?
My guess is that it‘s a simple case of the CESAFI still being treated as a traditional basketball league more than anything else. On the other hand, the UAAP and NCAA are brands being built in a market. Advertising builds the brand to its target consumers which in turn perceive the brand to be something more than just a basketball league. The UAAP and NCAA are no longer just basketball leagues. These are now brand “experiences” of consumers who learn to grow and appreciate these.
As in many things, we can also learn from our friends from the big leagues. I can only pray and hope for this day to come soon.
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Time-out: Happy birthday to Allan Saballa! >>> You can reach me at bleachertalk@yahoo.com.