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Liga sets over 400 games
SPORTING CHANCE By Joaquin M. Henson
Friday, May 2, 2008
Liga Pilipinas president Noli Eala said yesterday he expects to schedule at least 400 games in two conferences during the innovative league’s inaugural season with 12 teams confirmed to see action and four more to sign up within the week.
Eala named the Cagayan de Oro Rescuers of coach Jun Noel, Taguig of coach Jude Roque, Ilocos Sur, Pampanga of team manager Gil Cortez, Pagadian, Zamboanga Latinos, Cebu Ninos of coach Yayoy Alcoseba, Ozamiz Cota, Iloilo Warriors, Mandaue, Cavite and Davao as the teams locked in for the first campaign.
Under negotiation are teams from Rizal with Rep. Robbie Puno and Gov. Jun Ynares, Batangas with Sen. Ralph Recto, Baguio with Mayor Reinaldo Bautista, Tacloban with Kenneth Uy, General Santos City with Manny Pacquiao, Bacolod City with Dodong Bascon, Surigao del Sur with former Rep. Butch Pichay and Ormoc. Eala said Liga will choose four teams to complete the cast of 16.
“We hope to finalize the teams this week,” said Eala. “Lineups will be submitted early May then we’ll hold a workshop with team owners, managers and coaches on May 8-9 in Tagaytay. Our launch will be in Cebu on May 24 with the teams introduced to media in a hotel ballroom like how they do it in FIBA. The first leg of games will be played in various venues starting May 28.”
Eala said he has initiated talks with PBL commissioner Chino Trinidad on the possibility of drafting free agents or those without live contracts and SBP executive director Patrick Gregorio on enlisting standouts from the national youth pool.
“We’ll start our season when the PBL is over,” said Eala. “If there are Liga coaches interested in PBL players, we’ll clear the recruitment with Commissioner Chino. We don’t anticipate any conflict. We welcome Fil-Ams and coach Chot (Reyes) has in fact recommended someone for Taguig. We’re imposing a minimum of eight homegrown players in a 14-man lineup and a limit of two ex-pros who aren’t homegrown.”
FIBA rules will be used in Liga games. After the first phase where each team will host a leg consisting of three games, the 12 top finishers advance to the playoffs. The playoffs will consist of a wildcard stage involving eight teams, four best-of-five quarterfinal series, two best-of-five semifinal series and one best-of-five finals.
Eala explained that each leg will be a mini-tournament of four teams with the finishers earning points like in a tennis or golf circuit and winning cash incentives. The points will be added up to determine which teams qualify for the playoffs.
“We are maintaining the home-and-away format but the leg system dramatically reduces total expenses,” he said. “It will also be less costly for TV networks to cover our league because we will schedule two games in a venue a playing day with two legs a week.”
Eala said Liga’s minimum monthly salary is P10,000 and the cap is P20,000. “Our salary scales do not include provisions for bonuses,” he went on. “Theoretically, a team may pay players only the minimum but with a wide latitude for performance bonuses.”
Eala said while the Liga borrows from the community concept of the defunct MBA, it will not make the same mistakes. The MBA, which tried to rival the PBA and pirated players with offers of runaway salaries, folded up after four years because it couldn’t sustain the high cost of maintenance.
“We’re tapping communities all over the country to support their Liga teams,” said Eala. “We want to develop team loyalty like in the NBA. We also want to discover new talent.”
A key objective is job creation. “Liga wants to give players the opportunity to play,” said Eala. “We’re creating jobs. We’re offering a new platform for players to keep a relationship with the game and their communities. Players now don’t have to go far to join a league where they can make a living through basketball. They can stay in their hometowns and play for pay.”
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Re: Liga Pilipinas...A New Basketball League
Originally Posted by randymunz
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