New TV partner, hot rookies to boost PBA
By Nelson Beltran
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Philippine Star - Articles - -
MACAU – Newly elected PBA board chairman Joaqui Trillo yesterday said the league hoped to sustain the big gains it achieved the last couple of years.
Trillo believes a new crop of rookies and a new broadcast partner could well help the league sustain the momentum of its recent success.
Air21’s Lito Alvarez and Purefoods’ Rene Pardo were elected vice chairman and treasurer, respectively, in the board’s annual election held at the sprawling Venetian Hotel here.
“The main goal is to get the league back to its old lofty status,” said Trillo the morning after his formal election as league chairman, succeeding Red Bull’s Tony Chua. “We had had a highly successful Fiesta Conference but we can still reinvent the product and make it even better.”
The Alaska Milk top executive said he’ll work closely with commissioner Renauld “Sonny” Barrios but promised not to interfere with the day-to-day operations.
“I feel very confident with commissioner Sonny there. He’s been there for a long time. He knows the ins and outs of the league. I’ll work with him closely but not look behind his shoulder. We’ll set the guidelines and let him run the show,” said Trillo.
“I’ll meet with the executive board to get their ideas. I’ll also discuss things with the commissioner. I want it to be a total team effort.”
Trillo is keen on working hand in hand with the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas and supporting a long-range program for the national team.
“It’s about time that we have this long-term program for the RP team. Hopefully, we can be competitive again at least in the Asian level,” he said.
Trillo is excited with the coming season because, for one, of a new TV coveror promising to give the league a new look. The PBA and Solar Sports, in the same meeting, signed their three-year exclusive broadcast contract worth almost half a billion pesos.
“We want to help the PBA get back its old glory,” said Solar Entertainment Corp. chairman William Tieng, who described the PBA as a jewel that needs just a little polishing.
Tieng said they procured a new broadcast equipment worth a little less than P50 million that would make their PBA coverage comparable to that of the NBA’s. Some personnel were even sent to the US to be trained how to use the hi-tech equipment, including six digital cameras.
“With the PBA coming off a fruitful season, we’re optimistic this venture of ours would be successful,” said Tieng.