PBA board to approve D-League

MANILA, Philippines - Expectation is high the PBA board of governors will give today its formal approval to the “PBA D-League,” paving the way for its initial staging in January.

The league board also tackles the proposed PBA Referees Academy and the TV coverage in a meeting at 12 noon today at the PBA office in Libis, Quezon City.

Commissioner Chito Salud will present for board approval the mechanics of both the D-League and the Referees Academy.

A good number of PBA teams have expressed interest in the formation and participation in the D-League, believing that a commercial amateur league plays an important role in the development of basketball in the country.

Salud told The STAR they’re proposing that the PBA itself runs its own developmental league featuring players aged 17-26.

Their initial target is a short three-month tourney among eight teams, playing two days (Tuesdays and Thursdays) a week.

“It could be farm teams or affiliate teams by PBA member ball clubs and/or outsiders,” said Salud.

The San Miguel group, the Smart-PLDT group, Coca-Cola and Air21 are PBA members expected to form their own farm teams. Non-PBA members which may join are Phoenix Petroleum, the Lamoiyan Group, Pascual Laboratories and Toyota-Otis.

Sta. Lucia Realty, which has sold its PBA franchise to Meralco, has said it will join the tourney.

Salud said the proposed league would not entail much cost since they’re pegging the team salary cap to only P1 million. The maximum individual pay is only P25,000 a month and the minimum is P15,000.

The amiable PBA commissioner stressed the idea is to help develop Philippine basketball and encourage greater participation in the game by opening new areas of competition.

The creation of a Referees Academy, meanwhile, is being proposed to improve officiating in the league.

The academy will offer a four-month officiating course with former PBA technical chief Perry Martinez and former referee Celso Rivera as lecturers.

“We target a class of 25 from where we can get maybe four to five to add to our pool of referees,” said Salud. “We’ll teach them the PBA philosophy. Referees coming here no longer need reorientation.”

The TV coverage has been added to the agenda since Solar Sports has divulged plans to look for a partner in covering PBA games.

The PBA may start the bidding process for the TV coverage for 2011 and beyond. Solar Sports’ contract with the PBA is only up to the end of the current season.