By REYNALD MAGALLON
The league is looking forward to having a place it can finally call its permanent home.
The PBA continues to lay out its grand plans for the future – the biggest of which is finally realizing its dream of having its arena where it can regularly play its games and other league-related activities.
Long brought up as a possibility during the tenure of former Sta. Lucia governor Buddy Encarnado in the 2010s and during the early years of TNT governor Ricky Vargas as Chairman of the PBA board, the dream has now come closer into a realization according to PBA commissioner Willie Marcial.
Marcial said the league is already looking at properties where the PBA’s own arena could soon rise.
“We’re looking at properties in Metro Manila, about two to three hectares ang laki. Malapit na itong matuloy,” disclosed Marcial during the league annual planning session at the Swissotel Nankai in Osaka.
“Mas malapit na matuloy ito ngayon kaysa noon. Dati halos one to two percent lang. Ito Ngayon, 70-75 percent,” he added.
Vargas said the PBA has found a partner who offered to build the arena as a joint venture.
“We always dreamt of a PBA arena. But not known to you, it has progressed. We have a partner that has offered to build the arena on a joint venture basis as long as we can give them the land,” said Vargas.
Should be fully realized, the league will finally have a permanent venue where fans can watch its own games. Last season, the PBA bounced around Metro Manila with its games held at the Araneta Coliseum, Mall of Asia Arena, Rizal Memorial Coliseum and Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
It also played some of its games at the Caloocan Sports Complex, Ynares Sports Arena and Ynares Sports Center in Antipolo.
According to Vargas, the league spent an estimate of P43-P45 million on venue rentals throughout the last season.
“Di bale kung babayaran namin yan sa isang coliseum para sa amin (PBA) yung buong taon. Kaso hindi, e. Paikot-ikot kami. Travelling journeyman kami,” said Vargas.
