Philippine PBA Trades, Releases, Sign-ups, Rumours (vol. III)

[Cryotek]

Wow Luigi Trillo as Alaska Head Coach is putting-up a star-studded coaching staff with Louie Alas, Leo Austria, Aric del Rosario, Alex Compton and Charles Tiu.

All-star cast at the sideline...that's the trend now in coaching!

[nardy]

http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/367972...coke-franchise

Romero’s Sultan Buys Coke Franchise
July 30, 2012, 8:41pm

When it rains, it pours.

That applies to the case of businessman Mikee Romero who is on the verge of fulfilling another childhood dream – owning a team in the PBA.

Still in euphoria after marching with the Philippine delegation in the opening of the London Olympics last Friday, Romero’s bid of joining the PBA is close to reality after purchasing the franchise of Powerade from the Coca-Cola Bottlers Philippines Inc.

The financial details were not divulged but a PBA source disclosed that Romero paid close to P100 million to secure the franchise.

The source also said the composition of the team – from the coaching staff down to the ball boys – might also be overhauled.

While the tenure of Gary David is already certain, the new group might use JV Casio and Sean Anthony as possible trade baits for future picks since the drafting is just around the corner.

Romero can’t be reached for comment although one of his trusted friends clarified that Sultan 900, Inc. which the Harbour Centre CEO chairs will not be used as conduit by any team in the league.

“Mayron lang silang commitment ngayon, after that, he will try to build a championship team just like he did in the PBL,” the source said.

The 41-year-old Romero had earlier indicated that he would like to buy a new franchise.

But he ended up buying the Powerade franchise.

The deal, the same source added, was consummated last week.

No less than Coke officials informed the PBA about the sale and transfer of its Powerade team franchise to Sultan 900, Inc.

However, this is just the first stage in Romero’s bid as he still needs to get the approval from the PBA Board of Governors. To get an approval, Romero needs two-thirds of the votes or seven out of 10.

The PBA board, chaired by Rain or Shine’s Atty. Mamerto Mondragon, is expected to convene “at the soonest possible time.”

[KevinDurant]

Austria joining Alaska means that he's out of SMC.

[Jay P. Mercado]

Austria joining Alaska means that he's out of SMC.

KD,

Leo Austria was never part of the SMC Group. His only ties with SMC dates back in 1982 when he became part of the RP Youth team formed by Ron Jacobs in winning the 1982 Asian Youth competitions. He severed his ties with the SMC Group when he joined the PBA in 1985 as a rookie for the Shell Azodrin Bugbusters.

[Zero]

^Austria is part of SMB ABL team coaching staff, maybe that's what he meant on Austria being out of SMC.

[durden_tyler]

In the NBA, being in a large financial market (Los Angeles, New york, Chicago, Miami) makes the team acquire multiple all stars because these teams are more than likely turn a profit compared to 'small market teams' , it doesn't really make a difference if the owners such as Jerry Buss-$600M (Lakers) James Dolan-$494 million (Knicks) aren't as wealthy as the others because their teams have billion-dollar television deals.

As oppose to billionaire owners -Mark Cuban-$2.3B (Dallas), Paul Allen-$14B (Portland) who owns smaller market teams, and are less likely to spend over the cap and pay the luxury tax.

Heck! PBA should adapt the luxury tax policy from the NBA.

Then rich teams would just go over the cap and pay the tax-- see: Knicks.

Point is, any rules and regulations would not assure the league that it will rid itself of bad management.

[reamily]

So we can say

Tim's BMEG paycheck > Luigi, Louie, Leo, Aric and Charles Tiu combined

[theImbaguy]

Then rich teams would just go over the cap and pay the tax-- see: Knicks.

Point is, any rules and regulations would not assure the league that it will rid itself of bad management.

why not go for euro set up?
no cap limit, walang silipan, incompetent suckas gets their as$ relegated, then spend their miserable time at div 2 bankrupt no tv deals, no other way to earn money

[JAMSKIE]

Not surprising really. The PBA tried to ward off speculation of a team selling its franchise by comng up with a tall tale of Mikee Romero intending to become the league's 11th franchise. There's absolutely no way for the PBA to open its door to a 11th team. It will dilute the market share from 1/10 to 1/11 and will not be good for the existing PBA teams. Similarly, if ever they do open their minds to it, it won't be for an 11th team but for two teams to make an even numbered 12.

Now the bigger question and let me bring this up once more: how will Mikee Romero run a PBA team when he doesn't have the money to run a team? Or is there a hidden hand that makes Romero a puppet and merely a figurehead here? That this hidden hand is actually the chief financier of the franchise? We'll find out how the trade deals go. But let me be blunt - Romero and MVP had a falling out with the Burger King franchise before so count out MVP as your possible suspect. Let's just say that there's absolutely no way for Romero to afford running a PBA team. Heck, he can't even afford to run his own ABL team without getting corporate sponsors from Tonyboy Cojuangco.

Oops, did I just give the connection?

"But let me be blunt - Romero and MVP had a falling out with the Burger King franchise before so count out MVP as your possible suspect."

So now that the Powerade franchise was acquired by Mike Romero & as you seem to insinuate, Romero might be a puppet of the SMC group, how then will it affect Garry David & Jayvee Casio's stint with Gilas-2 national pool?

Well, I hope there's no truth to that suspicion that Romero is a puppet of SMC & I also hope that Romero isn't as wicked as the SMC group!

[durden_tyler]

^If you had better reading comprehension you would have seen the elephant in the room already.

[ariel_muhlach]

"But let me be blunt - Romero and MVP had a falling out with the Burger King franchise before so count out MVP as your possible suspect."

So now that the Powerade franchise was acquired by Mike Romero & as you seem to insinuate, Romero might be a puppet of the SMC group, how then will it affect Garry David & Jayvee Casio's stint with Gilas-2 national pool?

Well, I hope there's no truth to that suspicion that Romero is a puppet of SMC & I also hope that Romero isn't as wicked as the SMC group!

I do not see Mikee as a puppet but he alone would say its payback time .... if you are in his position would you blame him on how he is feeling, he invited MVP for a joint venture in a project he conceptualized then all of a sudden he was left hanging in the air as MVP instead does not want a partnership but to own the project by himself with Mikee out of the picture, with that failed investment he almost lost a big chunk of his family's fortune due to the turn-around made by the MPIC group. If that's how you do business with your supposed friends like Mikee imagine how it is with business rivals like the SMC Group.

[killmebusy]

I do not see Mikee as a puppet but he alone would say its payback time .... if you are in his position would you blame him on how he is feeling, he invited MVP for a joint venture in a project he conceptualized then all of a sudden he was left hanging in the air as MVP instead does not want a partnership but to own the project by himself with Mikee out of the picture, with that failed investment he almost lost a big chunk of his family's fortune due to the turn-around made by the MPIC group. If that's how you do business with your supposed friends like Mikee imagine how it is with business rivals like the SMC Group.

so again, it's more personal now...if/when romero finally grabs hold of the powerade franchise that will add one more team who has been alienated by MVP and thus might not share their players as long as he is head of the SBP.

[capitantiago]

I don't know about you, guys, but next season can be very exciting in terms of wheeling and dealing, especially that the Hari ng Padala is back in the league. Hahaha

[durden_tyler]

I don't know about you, guys, but next season can be very exciting in terms of wheeling and dealing, especially that the Hari ng Padala is back in the league. Hahaha

Who needs express delivery, when you can just ship it.

[Jay P. Mercado]

I do not see Mikee as a puppet but he alone would say its payback time .... if you are in his position would you blame him on how he is feeling, he invited MVP for a joint venture in a project he conceptualized then all of a sudden he was left hanging in the air as MVP instead does not want a partnership but to own the project by himself with Mikee out of the picture, with that failed investment he almost lost a big chunk of his family's fortune due to the turn-around made by the MPIC group. If that's how you do business with your supposed friends like Mikee imagine how it is with business rivals like the SMC Group.

Let's see. Romero is an extremely competitive person but what can he do if he's not holding the purse strings? Romero is a tru-blue La Sallian (oxymoron ata, should be tru-green!) so everyone would expect him to keep Jvee Casio in his team. If he gets shipped out, who should we expect to be the recipient of the talented PG?

Romero's grudge against MVP appears legitimate as he actually offered Manila North Harbor to RSA after sale talks bogged down between him and MVP. Apparently, MVP wanted 100% operating control but Romero wanted to run things. MVP is known to buy companies lock, stock and barrel so I don't blame him since this is corporate culture. And an astute businessman would know how decisions are being made by his partner. Romero knows MVP wants 100% control when the latter tied up with him - otherwise, that would make him dumb and clueless.

We ask then: why did Romero go to RSA after? Simple - because he doesn't have the money to expand North Harbor. He needs either MVP or RSA to make it work. So no matter how passionate Romero may be in trying to run his team in the same success mold as his Harbor Center squad in the PBL was, at the end of the day, what his benefactor wants, his benefactor would get...