ankle breaker said:
is that because he just got married?
he's shooting different kind of balls
ABS-CBN, Solar bidding for PBA rights
By Nelson Beltran
Friday, April 11, 2008
ABS-CBN or Solar Sports will be the next TV coveror of the Philippine Basketball Association.
The PBA board of governors is now studying the two networks’ bid presentations, hoping to come up with a decision on which outfit to award its exclusive TV rights in its next meeting.
The PBA games will be televised over Studio 23 if ABS-CBN gains the rights. Solar Sports, on the other hand, will have RPN-9 as the PBA TV carrier if it ends up the winning bidder.
ABC-5, the PBA’s TV partner the last five years, has opted not to join the process, sending PBA board chairman Tony Chua a letter yesterday, informing the league that it’s not submitting a bid.
Network top official Bobby Barreiro met their key people in ABC-5 Sports Wednesday night also informing them of the decision not to seek extension of their contract with the PBA which expires at the end of the current season.
“Why make a bid when we know they’ve long been having meetings with ABS-CBN?” said another ABC-5 top official.
“ABC-5 talents were advised not to feel sorry because the network will launch new shows. Employes were also given reprieve that they can look for another job, and it will not be taken against them. Everyone was urged to work hard even more up to the end of the contract. That’s the kind of a partner the PBA is losing,” the same network official said.
Solar Sports, which has been covering practically all sports in the land, local or foreign, including the recent fights of Filipino ring idol Manny Pacquiao, made its presentation only last week.
ABS-CBN, which also carries the UAAP and NCAA games on Studio 23, presented its bid earlier. IBC-13 and NBN-4 aren’t expected to make a bid since they had been the PBA’s TV partners before, leaving with huge debts to the league.
Meanwhile, Red Bull seeks to regain a share of the lead with Coca-Cola as prolific import Adam Parada and the Bulls battle the Talk n Text Phone Pals in the Smart PBA Philippine Cup at the Araneta Coliseum today.
Gie Abanilla returns to the Red Bull bench to assist head coach Yeng Guiao coming off a one-month coaching clinic in the United States.
Returning imports Randy Holcomb and Jameel Watkins face off again in Philippine soil as Alaska Milk and Magnolia clash in the day’s other game.
The Bulls are looking for their third straight win, while the Pals and the Aces shoot for their second win in three outings. The Beverage Masters, meanwhile, are out to check a two-game slump.
In another development, the Purefoods Tender Juicy Giants import Darius Rice was spared a major injury after he was rushed to the Medical City Hospital Wednesday night.
“There’s no nasal fracture or dislocation. What was injured was only a soft tissue which has been his problem since high school,” said Purefoods coach Ryan Gregorio.