MACAU, 27 September 2007 — The 33rd Philippine Basketball Association Season opens on Oct. 14 with San Miguel and Air21 clashing using new rules that would hopefully make the league even more exciting.
Members of the board of Asia’s first play-for-pay league planed in to this gambling mecca of Asia to discuss the path that the PBA will take — at least for the next two years — and part of the decision reached was the “relaxation of rules.”
“We want to give the fans what they want, and that is fast-paced, thrilling basketball action,” said new chairman Tony Chua of Red Bull. “We want the players to continue to be the ones deciding the game.
“We want to be able to keep the ball out of the hands of the referees as much as possible.” The three-point shot has been shortened from 22 feet to 20, the shaded area will now be trapezoidal from rectangular, while a certain form of hand-checking will now be allowed for more physical play, hence, more excitement. “But that does not mean that we will be going back to the no-harm-no-foul concept hatched during the mid-1980s,” Chua added.
Meanwhile, the board formally formed the selection committee that will lead the way in the league’s search for a new commissioner. Coming off their first meeting at the spectacular Venetian Hotel here Tuesday evening, the governors named former chairman Ricky Vargas of Talk ’N Text and last year’s secretary Lito Alvarez of Air21 to the five-man body. Automatic members were those composing the Executive Committee–chairman Tony Chua of Red Bull, vice-chairman Joaqui Trillo of Alaska and treasurer Robert Non of Ginebra. Before completing the committee’s membership, the board also approved the Air21-San Miguel Beer to open up the Philippine Cup at the Araneta Coliseum. The day will be highlighted by a futuristic show of lights and sounds.
Of the decisions reached in this trip was the formation of the committee, since the search for the man who will be tasked to implement the board’s policies while running the league’s day-to-day operations is expected to be a long process. “The first order of business for the committee is to lay down the main criteria which we will use in choosing our next permanent commissioner,” related Chua.
Good moral character, dynamism and at least a working knowledge of the sport are among the qualities floated by a committee member who requested not to be named.
The committee starts work on Monday and will present its list to the rest of the board for revisions and final approval in a scheduled regular meeting next month.
“We don’t want to monopolize that process so we will also ask the other governors for their own input or suggestions on what criteria we will be using,” said Chua.
Sonny Barrios is the current interim commissioner but he had made it plain he is bent on attending to a family business in California and he will definitely be out after the first conference of the coming season.
Barrios was named as officer-in-charge after Noli Eala resigned two months ago.
Chua said they hope to come up with a short list of prospects well before Barrios’ self-imposed deadline.
