Solar bags pro league TV rights
By August, the broadcast coverage of PBA games shall have gone virtually on all local TV networks as the premier cage league is again tying up with its maiden carrier RPN-9, through block-timer Solar Sports.
The PBA board of governors, in a meeting yesterday, accepted the offer of Solar Sports to be the league’s broadcast partners in the next three years – a deal reportedly worth P508 million.
PBA commissioner Sonny Barrios said the two parties will sign a memorandum of understanding in the next few days while working on the fine prints of the actual contract.
The first official PBA activity to be covered by Solar Sports is the 2008 Rookie Camp in August then the Annual Rookie Draft a few days after.
“Basically, the PBA got what it wanted. They (Solar) said yes to practically everything we asked for. Solar didn’t play hard ball despite the withdrawal of ABS-CBN. They’re very accommodating,” said Barrios.
Barrios said they were given commitment by Solar Sports to make the best possible coverage of the PBA games on RPN-9 plus bonus features or segments on Solar Sports cable channel Basketball TV (BTV).
“The plan, in general, is to make the PBA classy again. We’ll cater to the A, B and upper C classes and not just the masa. We will encompass all social classes, going through all the demographics,” said Solar Sports vice president for sales and marketing Jude Turcuato.
“It’s easy to say that we’ll make the PBA coverage more beautiful. But we’re hoping that the PBA be extra hot again with our help,” added Turcuato who had worked as marketing chief of the PBA a few years back.
Curiously, Solar Sports now has under its wings the broadcast rights of the NBA, PBL and the PBA. It has also gained the exclusive broadcast rights of the 2008
To improve in particular the PBA games coverage, Solar Sports is said to be bringing brand-new coverage equipment worth P45 million.
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