PRESSED for time, newly installed PBA chairman Ricky Vargas expects the league to have a new commissioner on or before the start of the second conference.
“My own goal is no later than the beginning of the second conference or earlier,” wrote Mr. Vargas in a text message to BusinessWorld.
This means that anyone among Charlie Cuna, Rebo Saguisag, Atty. Ariel Magno, and multi-titled coach Joel Banal and current University of the Philippines coach Bo Perasol can be tapped as the next commissioner.
Mr. Banal, who won championships as coach in the PBA, PBL, UAAP and NCAA, said he’s interested in the position of commissioner and hopes to share his vision if ever he’ll be chosen.
“If ever I will be commissioner, I’m going to make sure that I will be a fair commissioner. A commissioner’s job is to make sure that you’re going to have a balance league,” added Mr. Banal, who also served as commissioner of the Pilipinas Commercial Basketball League.
But while the PBA is now in search for the next commissioner, the board will also need to tackle another sensitive issue when the governors convene in the last Thursday of January 2018.
That’s because the league will need to vote whether to allow another sister team in the pro league following the acquisition of Kia by Phoenix, which bought the company’s lock, stock and barrel.
“This is a board matter for discussion,” added Mr. Vargas, board governor of Talk ’N Text.
San Miguel Corp. and the MVP Group of Companies have three teams each in the PBA.
San Miguel Beer, Barangay Ginebra and Magnolia Chicken from the old Purefoods franchise are the teams from San Miguel Corp. while Talk ’N Text, Meralco and NLEX are the teams being bankrolled by the MVP Group of Companies. — Rey Joble
