Broadcast rights go to NBN-IBC

The Philippine Basketball Association, taking into consideration the hi-tech capability, expertise, manpower and the P670-million package proposal of NBN 4 and IBC 13, decided to award the league’s television and radio broadcast contract for the next three years to the partnership of the two government-owned networks.

PBA commissioner Jun Bernardino announced this yesterday after the PBA board of governors concluded weeks of thorough studies and reviews of the merits of all contract proposals.

According to Bernardino, the deal involving nearly P.7 billion for the period 2003 to 2005 will be sealed pending the NBN-IBC group’s compliance to the letter of credit required them by the board.

But it’s only sheer formality as the PBA decided to stay on its home channel the past five years and renew its ties with NBN 4.

For the first time in league history, PBA games will be seen in simultaneous telecast in the two TV stations.

"The simulcast will be on a trial basis. After a certain period, all parties will have to meet and see if the simul is viable," said Bernardino.

The outgoing commissioner said the board is looking forward to more exciting seasons after making the decision and thanked the other parties which had shown keen interest in covering the PBA.

NBN president and chair Mia Concio, for her part, said: "We’re looking forward to sitting down with the board at the earliest possible time to discuss the details. We are really looking forward to this partnership. We would like to thank the board for the trust and confidence they showed in giving us the rights. We really appreciate it."

NBN-IBC won the rights to cover the PBA over current carrier Viva Sports and the group of businessman-sportsman Carlos "Bobong" Velez – owner of Vintage Sports, which handled the PBA TV coverage for nearly two decades.

Viva Sports made a bid to extend its contract with the PBA although it owed the league over P100 million in arrears.

Bernardino said the board will make an effort to claim the arrears. He said: "There would be a deadline but because of the difficult economic conditions, there’ll be no strict enforcement of the deadline."

In making its bid, the winning bidder promised to bring Asia’s first professional basketball league to new heights.

With 33 provincial TV stations reaching 94 percent of the country, NBN-IBC believed it can guarantee getting to the heart of Filipino homes with the widest possible reach for telecast.

Covering PBA games is nothing new to both NBN and IBC.

NBN, then known as GTV, covered the PBA in its fledgling years. The PBA enjoyed its popularity during the 80s when the network changed its name to Maharlika Broadcasting System. The PBA stayed with the network through 1995 when it adopted yet another name, People’s Television or PTV 4.

IBC 13, meanwhile, has had PBA as one of its top-raters in the last five years.