Saving / Improving the PBA

[mad_sorcerer]

I noticed that the Aussies have an "improving the NBL" thread separate from the NBL thread, so I decided to put up a similar "improving the PBA" thread ( I hope nobody minds ) - also so this forum will have more threads.

Although there are probably countless "saving the PBA" threads at other Filipino forums I hope we can still come up with a dicussion here on the problems that the PBA is facing and what we - the fans- think should be done. Besides, since there's a smaller community here at these forums I don't have to log on everyday to reply to threads. (And there are probably less fanboys here.)

Like the PBA Discussion thread PLEASE KEEP THE DISCUSSIONS IN ENGLISH for the benefit of everyone.

Peace Out.

[mad_sorcerer]

Here are some of my thoughts:

1. Send PBA players to International Competitions.

Obviously this is at the top of every wishlist ever written. Sending teams every 4 years to the Asian Games is not enough. It takes awhile to have a competitive national team. And forming and disbanding a national team every four years is not the way to go.

2. There should only be one long season and only one championship.

This will add more prestige to the championship trophy. Three conferences a year is just too much. It's like trying to please everybody by giving them three tries to win a trophy.

3. Move the All-Star Weekend back to the original middle of the year schedule.

A big complain for me because this year's all-star game was during the All-Filipino Cup and I was in Australia at that time!

4. More out-reach programs.

I noticed that the PBA only conducts its out reach programs during provincial games. There should be more outreach programs which will increase exposure for the league, maybe something like the NBA's Read to Achieve program.

5. Get a new TV partner.

The idea of a two-network parallel coverage was great since we could choose which network to watch, but not only did they drop the parallel broadcast, now only one network is carrying it!

6. Increase the height limit for Imports.

In previous years the height limit for imports was 6'8" for the Comm. Cup and 6'4" for the Gov. Cup, this year in the Reinforced Conference the height limit is 6'5". Why not peg it at a limit of 6'10" or maybe 7 feet? Taller imports bring in more competition and it will give our centers and forwards more practice in dealing with Yao Ming and all those tall Chinese players.

7. Change Team Names

Some teams still fully carry the name of their sponsors. Teams should carry the name of their corporate sponsors (ex: San Miguel Beermen and TnT Phonepals) but they should also have a separate monicker to help sell merchandise. (ex: Coca Cola Tigers and Alaska Aces) This will help official merchandise to sell better.

8. Stop Following NBA rules

Aside from very slight modifications AFAIK the PBA is the only league in the world which follows the NBA rule book bylaw for bylaw. But on other hand I am not in favor of adopting the entire FIBA rulebook either like most other leagues in the world. There should be a sort of middle ground for the rules.

[DontFeedTheDog_]

The PBA is dying a slooow painful death.

Traditionally, some of the worst seasons of the league (in terms of gate reciepts and attendance) have come in the years after a stint in the Asian Games - 1991, 1995, 1999 and 2003.

Everytime the PBA forms a National Team for the Asian Games, there is sooo much press and sooo much hype, that even before a single player is named to the team everyone expects nothing less than a top finish. Not a silver, not a bronze but a gold; nothing less.

So everytime a PBA national team fails to win in the Asian Games, interest in the league will go down, crowds will disappear and TV ratings will plunge. It usually takes the PBA 2-3 years to recover from this, so by the time the next Asian Games rolls around, the league will have recovered and will again be experiencing a succesful season. It's a cycle which has repeated itself since the 1990 Asian Games.

Though I don't have official numbers I think the largest crowd in the PBA this year, was during the Crispa-Toyota reunion game, with something like 17,000 fans in attendance.

The All-Star game only drew around 10,000 fans. Probably the worst in years.

The Invitationals Cup had about an average of only 2,000 fans per game. Probably the worst conference of the PBA ever.

The opening of the quarter-finals last week had about 12,000 fans at the Araneta Coliseum, which isn't bad if you think about it, but then a few years ago, if Ginebra had made the quarter-finals there would have been around 20,000 fans at Araneta.

See? Fans are now immune to the marketing machine of the PBA. No matter what gimmick the PBA tries to pull fans just won't troop to the arena's because that ridiculous fourth place finish in the 2002 Asian Games is still etched in their minds.

I'll post more later....

[ShowMeTheMoney]

I have a long "Saving the PBA" article somewhere on my PC.

Let me just try to find it and edit it a little and maybe I can find time to post it later.

[mad_sorcerer]

Posted by DontFeedTheDog

Not a silver, not a bronze but a gold; nothing less.

I dont t hink expectations are that high really. I mean with the first PBA national team in 1990 maybe everyone was really shell shocked when we got trashed by china so i think expectations have sort of lowered since.

The 2002 Asian games wasnt all that bad I mean we lost to Korea by just one point in their own country then they go on to beat china, so its really a lot of what ifs? I think the bronze medal game was a given, I that Korea game pretty much drained us emotionally and physically and we were simply prepared to give the bronze to kazakhstan.

The Invitationals Cup had about an average of only 2,000 fans per game. Probably the worst conference of the PBA ever.

Ngak!

Rea;;y? thats probably the worst attendance ever. I wasnt able to watch the Invitationals thoug I think all we need are better teams to invite so the competition will be much better.

[Nel]

There's only one reason why people are not going to the games... We SUCK in international competition!!! As much as we love the game of basketball we can't even place a PBA team in the ABC in which is a qualifying for olympics. PBA gives importance to Asian games were there is nothing is at stake except for a worthless gold. If only the PBA can make a name in International competition maybe we can see people watching the PBA. Besides there's a lot more things to do rather than watching filipinos fight filipinos. BORING! Look at paquiao he's been supported by the people because he can deliver outside our country. Show some Pride PBA.

[Micchy_boy]

the league have change their calendar from feb-dec to july-april so that we can compete in international competition. we can prepare better and can adopt to international game. but did you know that: that Fu_king bull_hit BAP refuse what the PBA offer to let PBA represent our country in international competition.

[mad_sorcerer]

Its great to see the league concentrating on really fixing its image. They had a sort of an orientation for all the players at the start of the season, sort of like the orientation that NBA rookies get, about how they PBA players are expected to walk, talk and act in public.

This little things really add some "pogi points" to the PBA and its players. In fact several players including imports were fined recently for violating the leagues dress code.