09 October 2017

Former Commissioner Eala Frowns At PBA Empty Seats

Empty Seats
What do you think will happen if the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) continues to cater to the whimsical needs of team owners without any regards to parity and fair play? The obvious answer is dwindling fans and empty seats.

Right now the dire situation became so visible that even former PBA Commissioner Noli Eala had to express his thoughts on social media.

Hoops.ph shared a tweet by Eala, commenting on what appears to be games held at Ynares Center in Antipolo city last 13 September 2017.

"I cannot believe that team owners aren't alarmed yet with the gate attendance of the PBA," he wrote.

None of the crowd drawer, Barangay Ginebra and Star Hotshots, was scheduled to play on that day, which could be a big factor.

Nevertheless, gate attendance took a big hit after the league adopted a series of questionable policies which include the entry of expansion teams Blackwater and KIA – with the latter appointing boxer Manny Pacquiao as their head coach, approval of clearly lopsided trades, favoritism of some teams, adjustment of rules which resulted in turning basketball into almost a non-contact sport, and last but not the least was the imposition of fines for even the smallest of infractions – an innovation introduced by current commissioner Chito Narvasa.

If the existing policy and practice will not be addressed and contain, expect TV viewers and radio listeners will decline as well.

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