San Miguel builds up for ABL entry
By Joaquin Henson The Philippine Star Updated August 01, 2011 12:00 AM
MANILA, Philippines - There’s more to San Miguel Corp.’s entry into the Asean Basketball League (ABL) than just playing the game. The vision involves strengthening the San Miguel brand’s presence in Southeast Asia, building a team for Filipinos to rally behind whether here or abroad, providing a stage for aspiring players to show their wares, creating employment opportunities and assembling a pool of talents – including imports – for placement in the PBA.
It was San Miguel Corp. president and chief operating officer Ramon S. Ang who saw the value of participating in the ABL with the potential of achieving multiple goals in a league backed up by some of the region’s most prominent industry leaders.
“The ABL had long been knocking on San Miguel’s door – as early as its first season two years ago,” said San Miguel consultant Noli Eala, former PBA commissioner and SBP executive director. “When the ABL laid out its plans to Mr. Ang, there was instant chemistry. The ABL has commitments for long-term support from several major sponsors, like All-Asia Airways with an eight-year contract, ESPN with a five-year contract and General Electric with a two-year contract. All the ABL movers are known businessmen from Tony Fernandes of Malaysia to Eric Thohir of Indonesia. It has the backing of FIBA-Asia. The direction for the future is solid.”
ABL chief executive officer Kuhan Foo of Malaysia flew in to confer with Ang twice and it didn’t take long for San Miguel to announce its participation in the third season starting in January. The team will be called the San Miguel Beermen coached by seven-time PBA best import awardee Bobby Parks assisted by Leo Austria, Oliver Bunyi, Freddie Abuda and Peter Martin.
Under ABL rules, a team may enlist 12 local players – with up to three Asean “imports” – and two non-Asean reinforcements. The league has no height limit for imports, no draft and no salary cap for locals. Imports are paid a maximum of $15,000 a month. The format involves a triple round robin in the eliminations where each team plays 21 games assuming eight entries, a best-of-three semifinals and a best-of-three finals.
Eala said San Miguel hopes to bring in 6-10 Junmar Fajardo of Cebu if he doesn’t apply for the coming PBA draft. Fil-foreigners lined up to play for the Beermen include 6-6 Jason Deutschmann of San Diego State, 6-1 Chris Banchero of Seattle Pacific and 6-1 Stanley Pringle of Penn State.
“Coach Bobby is now looking at available free agents,” said Eala. “We’re inviting players hoping to improve their game in the ABL before moving to the PBA or even players now in the PBA looking for playing time so they can get back in the PBA later with more confidence. We’re open to a player like FEU’s Aldrech Ramos who isn’t eligible to join the PBA draft this year but is winding up his UAAP eligibility. We’re also checking out players like PBA free agents Val Acuna and Rudy Lingganay. We’re offering playing opportunities for those preparing to jump to the PBA and that includes imports and Fil-foreigners.”
A well-known PBA star who’s lately been on a slump has reportedly expressed interest in playing in the ABL to get back into the groove before rejoining the PBA. With no height limit for imports, Eala said San Miguel is free to recruit seven-footers like former Barangay Ginebra import Chris Alexander.
Rizal Gov. Jun Ynares has offered the Ynares Center in Antipolo as the Beermen’s home.
“Since we’ll be playing 10 home games during the regular season, we plan to make each appearance a big public event with a lot of atmosphere and hoopla,” said Eala. “I think we’ll be able to pack the stadium for every game. It’s a great opportunity for Filipino fans to show support for a local team in an international tournament. We are now negotiating to lock in a TV coveror with the Philippine Patriots so that the time slot is for the ABL’s two Philippine teams.”
The ABL staged its inaugural season with six teams – the Brunei Barracudas, Satria Muda BritAma of Indonesia, Kuala Lumpur Dragons of Malaysia, Singapore Slingers, Thailand Tigers and the Patriots. The Philippines beat BritAma in the finals to capture the first crown. Last year, the Chang Thailand Slammers, formerly the Tigers, took the championship, defeating the Patriots in the finals. Six teams also competed in the second season. But this coming campaign, the ABL is ready to expand to eight teams, including San Miguel which has a five-year commitment to play in the league.
“The ABL is all set for an explosion,” said Eala. “The progress from the first to the second season was evident. Values have appreciated, attendance has gone up and TV ratings have improved. Every game in Brunei was sold out and in Thailand, there is a basketball boom with a lot more tournaments now being played. By the fourth year, we expect 10 teams in the ABL. Mr. Ang saw the timing was right for San Miguel to join and he has challenged us to be competitive from the start. Our goal is to win the championship every season that we play in the ABL.”
The San Miguel Beermen in the Asean Basketball League (ABL)
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