In Huddle
Chaotic situation at Powerade
By Beth CelisPhilippine Daily Inquirer
For a while there I was tempted to call Powerade governor Jose Bayani “JB” Baylon to inquire if he had been making nocturnal trips to Baclaran again.
Although JB had made it crystal clear in previous interviews that he had walked on his knees down the aisle of the Redemptorist Church not really to ask God for anything but to give thanks for the blessings his Tigers received in the recently concluded PBA conference, this time he has something to fervently pray for: That the Coca-Cola franchise and team be kept intact indefinitely.
But I did not want to put JB in a spot, troubled as he is right now, with the situation at Powerade at its most chaotic ever.
Emotionally vulnerable at this point, the man might be predisposed to say things which he should keep close to his chest, in the process getting him into deeper trouble.
***
Reports that Tiger Marcio Lassiter had been traded to Petron was the first sign that there might be some veracity to speculations that the Coke franchise had been sold.
There is absolutely no way to justify why a marquee player like Lassiter, a vital cog in the Powerade machine, would be let go at any cost.
Will Gary David, Best Player of the just-finished conference, be the next to be traded?
Gary had just renewed his contract with Powerade for another three years at an aggregate sum of P15.1 million. If he gets traded like Lassiter, the team he is traded to needs only to assume his contract.
Because anything can happen during the emergency meeting called by PBA commissioner Chito Salud for tomorrow, there is a possibility that Gary could be traded in haste—say, in the next couple of days.
I was informed that JB had a dinner-meeting with his team late last week, to enlighten them about the Coke situation. Since I didn’t get a feedback on that dinner, I don’t know how much of the actual situation JB revealed to his coach and players, who were all in the dark and had been asking questions.
***
Not only the Powerade team , but perhaps even the PBA Commissioner’s office may not be aware of the actual situation in the Coke camp. More so the other members of the PBA board who, like the Tigers, have been asking questions.
These questions, according to commissioner Salud, “will be discussed openly and with transparency in the best interest of our fans in tomorrow’s meeting which I am looking forward to.”
The commissioner reiterated that any and all sale, transfer or assignment of team franchises “will be valid only upon approval of two-thirds of the 10 member teams.”
“Formal notice must be sent to the PBA Commissioner’s office of any intention to sell by the transfer or team.”
Short of these requisites, the Commissioner said Coke remains a member of good standing, entitled to all rights and obligations of a regular member.
***
This Friday’s meeting is what gives hope to JB, even if the Coke franchise has been sold.
Allow me to present the Barako Bull –Phoenix Petroleum deal as a case in point.
Was it early last year that the Photokina franchise owned by George Chua and family was sold to Phoenix Petroleum ? The Chuas had informed the PBA of its intention to sell and had gotten the nod of the board on the Phoenix sale, short of one more vote to reach the required 2/3 rule.
San Miguel had opposed the entry of Phoenix Petroleum, thus aborting the sale.
This could happen again in tomorrow’s meeting. The Coke sale may not be approved by a 2/3 majority, assuming the issue comes to a vote.
In any case, my unsolicited advise to JB is to make more frequent trips to Baclaran to change the mind of his big boss who sold the Coke franchise.
Because even if the “unauthorized” sale of the Coke franchise is thrown in the trash bin after tomorrow’s meeting, all that JB’s big boss has to do is look for another buyer.
Or maybe JB could pray that he finds none.
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- Salud: Best is yet to come
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