By REYNALD MAGALLON
The PBA is now ready to open its doors to at least two new teams as part of the league’s long term plans.
That was the marching order of PBA Chairman Ricky Vargas to Commissioner Willie Marcial during its annual meeting in Paris and was announced during the Season 48 press conference at the Diamond Hotel on Tuesday, Oct. 17.
The league has been long mulling the possibility of expansion and the Board of Governors felt that there’s no better time to do it than now especially that the PBA is coming off a banner year highlighted by a record-breaking crowd of 54,589 during the Game 7 of the Commissioner’s Cup finals between Barangay Ginebra and guest team Bay Area Dragons.
Putting the cherry on top to the season that also saw the league’s revenue growth reach pre-pandemic levels, was the gold medal conquest of the PBA-backed Gilas Pilipinas team in the 19th Asian Games.
“As (vice chairman Bobby Rosales) always tells, now is the time for us to grow the PBA membership to two more teams. That’s our plan and that is part of our long term plan,” said Vargas.
The expansion of the PBA has been long clamored by fans not only to reinvigorate interest in the league but also to bolster the competition among the existing 12 teams.
It should also bode well for aspiring players, giving them more opportunities to make the leap to the PBA especially with the recent Draft attracting over 140 applicants and with a total of 79 players being picked through a record 11 rounds.
Marcial said in one of the Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum last August that the league can actually accommodate at least four more teams and that there has always been interest from companies to join the PBA – two of which already reached out to the league.
“Lagi naman (may interest) kahit nung panahon pa nila Comm. Noli (Eala), ED Sonny (Barrios), Comm Chito (Salud). Meron talagang lumalapit sa atin,” said Marcial who is now looking reinitiate discussions with interested companies.
The PBA last expanded eight years ago when it welcomed Kia (now Terrafirma) and Blackwater as its two new teams. The league currently has San Miguel, Ginebra, Magnolia, TNT, Meralco, NLEX, Rain or Shine, Converge, Phoenix, and NorthPort to comprise the 12 squads.
