MANILA, 19 December 2003 — A nod of approval.

Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Commissioner Noli Eala announced the league’s board of governors had unanimously approved the format to be applied in the regular season beginning October next year.

Eala said the radical revision of the league format is aimed at generating fan interest and improve the quality of competition in a tight eight-month schedule.

He described the format as unique and exciting.

“It’s an entirely different approach designed to make the league more attractive and the games more exciting,” said Eala, hinting that the format would be a mixture of the old method and novel ideas to suit the PBA’s need of luring back the crowd.

Last month, the PBA board made a landmark decision which aims to radically change the complexion of the sport in the country by synchronizing the league’s calendar with the FIBA, the world governing body in basketball.

Beginning next season, the PBA season will start its fiscal calendar in October and end in May the following year before the league goes into hibernation from June to September. The PBA board also gave its nod to the two-conference format, one laced with imports and the other going all-Filipino. The board’s decision shelved the usual three-conference format from February to December, a procedure used since the league’s inception in 1975.

Eala said the league would see action in a transition tournament from the first week of February up to June before unveiling the newly groomed season in October.

Eala had initially proposed a one-season, one-championship tournament but the platform was thumbed down by the 10-man board, paving the way for the two-conference format.

Just the same, Eala’s vision of a PBA quintet playing in the Asian Basketball Confederation championship, the qualifying tournament for the Olympics and the World Basketball Championships, was kept within range — courtesy of the new format. The ABC and the World Basketball Championships are normally calendared during the FIBA’s off-season (June-September), which was now adopted by the PBA, opening the door of opportunity for local players to strut their wares on both international fronts.

The PBA has gone through a series of “storms” this season.

Controversies such as the television coverage, the advertising brouhaha involving Beam Toothpaste, the Fil-sham issue and the drug scandals that netted some of the league’s superstars have all contributed to the dwindling of gate attendance.

Eala has actually tried to “rescue” the league by coming up with promotional gimmicks such as the Toyota-Crispa matchup, which served as a “front-act” to the All-Star Weekend of the PBA last June. The amiable PBA commissioner also revived the ongoing One-on-One match up.

He also revived the Reinforced Conference, which was one of the original conferences instituted by the PBA during its formative years in the 1970s, replacing the Governor’s Cup.

At the same time, Eala brought back the Invitational Cup, though it proved to be a flop considering that the foreign teams invited were patsies.

Eala has also reconnected with the fans on a personal level, seating himself and his staff amid the crowd while treating fans to watch the action from the sidelines.

He also has created special boxes where fans can mingle with celebrities while watching games and will be served on by waiters. The recent controversies with its playing venues are forcing the PBA to speed up search for site where it can build its own cage dome next year.

The PBA board has unanimously approved plans for the construction of its own venue.

Actually, the league had already planned in the past to build its own venue. The plan was shelved because of the economic crisis the country has been experiencing since the late 90s. But Eala said talks with Araneta and PhilSports officials are still ongoing.

If plans don’t miscarry, the “PBA Dome” will become a landmark either in the Pagcor City in the Para?aque reclamation area, the present site of the Rizal provincial capitol in Pasig or a private land in front of the SM North Edsa in Quezon City. According to Sta. Lucia Realty PBA board representative Buddy Encarnado, the governors welcomed the proposal put forward by Eala to draw up plans to put up its own venue. He said the prospective venue must be able to stand on its own, meaning a complex that includes a shopping mall-like structure to lure the crowds even during the off-season.

The plan is to make the PBA Dome a landmark in Metro Manila. It will serve as the PBA’s permanent home and venue for various events and shows like concerts.

If ever, this would be the biggest legacy Eala and the present board would be leaving in the league. Eala said Pagcor expressed great interest in a possible tie-up with the PBA but temporarily shelved talks pending the extension of its franchise by the Congress. The Rizal provincial capitol compound came to the picture with the Rizal provincial government planning to move its offices within the province.

A private group with full documentation of the piece of land in front of the SM City in Quezon City offered the place to the PBA.

With the increase of member ball clubs to 10, Lim is hoping that the player’s union, currently headed by Alaska assistant coach Jojo Lastimosa, would take a more active role in the rebuilding of the pro league.

Lastimosa, with the help of Purefoods team skipper Alvin Patrimonio, San Miguel’s Benjie Paras and former PBA cagers Zaldy Realubit and Bonel Balingit, has been at the forefront of the player’s union fight to get rid of fake Fil-Ams allegedly playing in the league.