Attendance soars in PBA breakthrough

MANILA, Philippines - Attendance in the recent PBA Philippine Cup showed a 25 percent increase from last season as crowds thickened in a positive reaction to the league’s efforts in making every game exciting with referees blowing their whistles only on clear contact to allow more free-flowing action and physicality.

PBA media affairs bureau chief and special assistant to the commissioner Willy Marcial said yesterday the emphasis on improved officiating is a commitment that led to trimming down the 16-man pool to only six for the Philippine Cup Finals where the average attendance was 14,682.

“Commissioner (Chito) Salud did a thorough evaluation of each referee’s performance from the start of the conference and decided to go with only six referees in the Finals,” said Marcial. “It was a recognition for good work and also a challenge for the others to raise their level of performance.” Marcial said one of the six was rookie Rommel Gruta, 33, who broke through the rotation only this season after matriculating in the PBA D-League.

Marcial said average attendance in the conference breached the 7,000 mark. “Last season, our average was about 6,600 but from available figures, we did about 7,200 in the Philippine Cup,” he said. “We’re also consolidating gate receipts which from early estimates, show almost a 100 percent increase. These are very encouraging signs particularly as we are about to start the Commissioner’s Cup where we expect the interest to get a further boost with the participation of imports of unlimited height.”

In the Philippine Cup Finals, Game 1 had an audience of 14,065 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. Game 2 brought in 11,500 at the MOA Arena, Game 3 16,028 at the Big Dome and Game 4 17,136, also at the Big Dome. The crowds didn’t dwindle even if the Finals ended in a sweep because while Rain Or Shine failed to win a single game over Talk ‘N’ Text, each encounter was a barn-burner. 

Marcial said aside from improved officiating, other factors contributing to a resurgence in attendance were the balance of power, innovations like staging a tripleheader (drawing 19,700 fans) and the daily schedule in the playoffs, the “kampihan” factor, a concentrated marketing campaign, a more dynamic TV-radio-print coverage and the linkage with Gilas Pilipinas in exposing PBA stars to international competition.

“The strong indication of a breakthrough is reflected in the way out-of-town hosts are requesting for a wide range of teams when before, Barangay Ginebra and San Mig Coffee got most of the invitations,” said Marcial. “Now, they’re asking for Alaska, Rain Or Shine, Talk ‘N’ Text and others. At least eight teams are getting equal requests for out-of-town games.” In the Philippine Cup, the PBA held games in Digos, Dipolog, Lucena, Tubod, Victorias and Lapu Lapu. In Metro Manila, venues were the Smart Araneta Coliseum, MOA Arena, Ynares Center in Antipolo and Cuneta Astrodome.

Marcial said Salud is uncompromising when it comes to determining the balance of trades. “Moving players is a dynamic process and commissioner Salud welcomes it,” said Marcial. “But if a trade isn’t balanced, he won’t approve it. Whether a trade is a one-on-one or involves as many as 20 players, it’s the same principle that commissioner Salud applies. There must be balance. In the recent 10-player, five-team trade, commissioner Salud saw the benefits for each team, in particular Barako Bull which got a real boost. In the end, the deal will contribute to a better balance of power in the league.”

Marcial said Salud and Gilas Pilipinas coach Chot Reyes will meet tomorrow to discuss a framework in choosing players for the national team that will compete in the FIBA-Asia Championships here on Aug. 1-11. 

“Every team is committed to lend at least one player whom Chot will pick,” said Marcial. “On the part of the PBA Board, the support is all-out. Chot will be free to name his players. We are submitting four options to reschedule the Governors Cup which ends on July 28 if the playoffs go all the way. We plan to end the third conference one or two weeks before the start of the FIBA-Asia Championships. We’re thinking of scheduling four games a week instead of three to speed up the eliminations.”