New commish issue reaches team owners

It may take higher-level talks – or discussion among no less than team owners – to settle the choice for the next PBA commissioner with the matter hanging in the balance in the board level.

PBA officer-in-charge Sonny Barrios expressed confidence the search for the league’s seventh commissioner will be over by next week with consultations among team owners on-going.

But apparently with still no solution in sight, the board had to postpone its scheduled meeting this morning at the PBA office. The meeting has been moved to next Thursday in the same venue.

Barrios said some board members are attending more pressing matters. “As far as I can read it, the board would come to terms by next week. If there’s a stalemate in the board level, I’m sure it would be resolved with consultations with team owners,” said Barrios.

Sources said the ball clubs were still very much divided on their choice on the eve of what supposed to be a fourth round of balloting.

Apparently, Magnolia, Barangay Ginebra, Welcoat, Red Bull and Coca-Cola are sticking it out with Atty. Chito Salud while Alaska Milk, Sta. Lucia, Talk n Text and Air21 with Lambert Ramos.

The candidate needs to muster at least six votes from the nine voting ball clubs to get the mandate as the man to take over from Barrios.

Board chairman Tony Chua called an executive board meeting Tuesday supposedly to draft proposals on how to resolve the impasse. Apparently, nothing happened with Chua later saying they discussed other matters instead.