PBA launches Foundation Week

MANILA, Philippines - To celebrate 35 years of providing entertainment to millions of fans, the PBA will launch its first-ever Foundation Week during a Fiesta Conference doubleheader at the Cuneta Astrodome today and will continue the festivities until another twinbill at the Araneta Coliseum on April 18.

PBA commissioner Sonny Barrios said the Board of Governors, led by chairman Lito Alvarez of Air21, approved the project to thank the fans for their support through the years.

“It’s one way of giving back,” said Barrios. “Celebrating our 35th anniversary is significant because we want to highlight that without the fans, we wouldn’t be alive and kicking. This is their league and we believe there is reason to celebrate. We also want to pay tribute to the PBA pioneers, including players and team owners, by reintroducing them to the fans in a special way.”

Barrios said the Foundation Week establishes the league’s future, too.

“As long as Filipino fans love basketball, the PBA will outlive all of us,” he added. “The Foundation Week celebrates not only the past but also the future. The league is prepared to take the big leap forward. We’ve engaged a private production outfit to produce an audio-visual of the league in anticipation of franchise inquiries for next season.”

Barrios said he’s not at liberty to disclose which companies have sent feelers on the possibility of joining the league.

“The good news is there is clear interest in the league,” said Barrios. “We’ve gotten several inquiries from companies looking at joining the league either as new teams or buyers of existing franchises. Nothing is final at the moment but we’re hoping for positive results from the dynamics.”

PBA media bureau chief Willie Marcial said last month, the league received calls from two individuals claiming to represent a public utilities firm and asking about tax shields, franchise costs and advertising values.

“The callers wouldn’t identify themselves or their superiors,” said Marcial. “Since they were asking for sensitive data, we told them to put their request for information in writing. They haven’t called back. We’re not putting any weight on anonymous calls but to process any request for information, we need something on paper.”

Marcial said there are rumors that two big companies are interested in taking over existing franchises but couldn’t confirm or deny the scuttlebutt.

“There is a lot of interest being shown by advertisers and sponsors in the PBA,” said Barrios. “Below-the-line advertising is brisk and substantial with the PBA as the staging platform. It’s understandable why there’s talk of buying franchises. The PBA is still the country’s No. 1 sports entertainment vehicle.”

Five playing days are in the Foundation Week program where two Suzuki motorcycles from Norkis, two laptops from PC Gilmore, a JVC flat-screen TV from Ansons, 50 scholarships for short-term courses at Informatics and P1,000 gift certificates applicable to enrollment fees at Informatics will be raffled off. Additionally, Molten basketballs and Gold’s Gym gift certificates will be given away to lucky fans.

Performing artists will provide entertainment during the five playing days. Among the celebrities are Say Alonso, Danita Paner, Paolo Santos, Luke Mijares and Richard Poon. The FEU cheerdancing squad will bring its act to the PBA on April 14 and UST will take its turn on April 16.

The Bingo Bola will peg a grand prize of P35,000 and the amount will stay until a fan hits the jackpot for each of the five playing days.

At the Foundation Week inaugurals today, players from the PBA’s historic first game will be presented to fans. Mariwasa beat Concepcion, 101-98, in the contest. Expected to attend are the late PBA founding president and Mariwasa coach Emerson Coseteng’s daughter Nikki and cagers Mark Arriola, Edmund Tierra, Ulysses Rodriguez, Epoy Alcantara, Jimmy Noblezada, Joy Dionisio and Boy Mora.

Dionisio, who scored the PBA’s first basket, is expected to show up despite nursing a lump in his face. Dionisio lives in Caloocan and has reportedly been a virtual recluse since the swelling caused a facial disfigurement. A Suzuki motorcycle will be raffled off today.

On April 11 at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium, a JVC flat-screen TV will be the grand raffle prize. On April 14 at the Araneta Coliseum, a laptop will be given away and on April 16, also at the Big Dome, another laptop will be awarded. On the final celebration day, April 18, at the Araneta Coliseum, a Suzuki motorcycle will be raffled off and several players who saw action in the second-ever PBA game between Toyota and U-Tex will be honored. Among the veterans are Robert Jaworski, Ramon Fernandez, Bogs Adornado and Ompong Segura. Toyota nipped U-Tex, 105-101, in the contest.

The PBA’s first twinbill was played on April 9, 1975, before a crowd of 18,000 at the Araneta Coliseum.

Marcial said to immortalize the 35th anniversary, the PBA will produce a coffee table book, commemorative personalized car plates with six alpha numerical slots and a special jacket.