By WAYLON GALVEZ
NCAA Management Committee chairman Fr. Vic Calvo said Friday the league would wait for the course of action its broadcast partner ABS-CBN 2 will take after its bid for 25-year franchise was denied by Congress.
“We’ll wait for them on what they’ll do moving forward, or after the (Congress) decision. What are their plans and options now,” said Calvo.
The NCAA has still an existing deal with the giant network after signing a 10-year deal during the school year 2015 and 2016.
Voting 70-11 Friday, Congress broke the heart of the so-called “Kapamilya” network.
The House Committee on Legislative Franchises chaired by Palawan Rep. Franz Alvarez arrived at the decision after a 12-day joint hearing with the House Committee on Good Government.
The network that counts megastar Sharon Cuneta, Piolo Pascual, Sarah Geronimo, Gary Valenciano, Martin Nievera, and Coco Martin as among its bankable talents was shut down on May 4 after the company’s previous 25-year congressional franchise expired.
Because of the coronavirus pandemic, the NCAA decided to push the opening of Season 96 to March of next year with Letran as host, instead of the regular opening month of July like the previous years.
Calvo said that any decision is up to the Policy Board, and that MANCOM can only make recommendations.
Since the issue involves a live contract with the broadcast company, he said they also have a legal team to help them on what steps to take from here.
“We have a good relationship with ABS-CBN, that’s why – as I’ve mentioned – we’ll wait for them,” he said.
