PBA defers decision on television rights

The PBA board of governors opted to set another meeting before deciding to whom it would grant the league’s broadcast rights after drawing more data on the contending networks.

“The board adjourned the meeting not arriving at a decision. The consensus was for them to have more time to chew in the new wealth of information that has just come in,” said PBA commissioner Sonny Barrios.

The PBA board, provided more data by AC Nielsen earlier, received more details from another media agency, Mind Shares,  yesterday.

“The two studies are complementing one another. It’s enlightening. But the board, of course, wanted to share the information with their principals before making a decision,” said Barrios.

The board set another meeting Tuesday also at the PBA office in Libis, Quezon City.

A STAR source, however, said the board is likely to reach a consensus and would no longer need to divide the house.

The same source said the inclination of most of the PBA governors is to accept the offer of Solar Sports over that of ABS-CBN.

Solar Sports, with RPN-9 as carrying station, is offering a straight-up three-year deal. ABS-CBN is apparently offering a four-year package with the option to sign a three-year contract-extension at the end of the initial deal.

The STAR source said Solar Sports’ package is P31 million better than the amount being offered by the Lopez-owned network in the first three years of its offer.

Another source, however, is not totally ruling out a change of heart by the governors.

“It’s not over till it’s signed, sealed and delivered. You can never be sure with the PBA board’s vote. Nothing is certain from  now until Tuesday,” said the source.

“It has happened many times before when the board swung votes in a matter of hours,” the same source noted.

He mentioned such incidents on the ouster of former commissioner Noli Eala, the non-appointment of Freddie Webb as OIC and also the non-appointment of either Chito Salud or Lambert Ramos as commissioner.

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