3 applicants for expansion get Salud’s OK, await PBA Board voting

By: Celest R. Flores - 10 years ago

PBA Commissioner Chito Salud. Photo by Nuki Sabio/PBA

MANILA, Philippines — After doing his due diligence, PBA Commissioner Chito Salud Thursday that the three applicants for the expansion are all financially capable to sustain teams in the PBA.

Salud said that he is recommending the acceptance of Ever Bilena (Blackwater Sports), Columbia Automotive Corporation (Kia Motors), and Metro Pacific Investments (NLEx) into the PBA.

“I have checked their financials. They are all capable. I will recommend their acceptance to the PBA board,” Salud said.

The decision now lies with the PBA Board of Governors as the applicants need at least 3/4 or eight votes from the members to get accepted into Asia’s first play-for-pay league. The board will convene on April 10.

Salud said that possibility of expanding the league to 13 teams is a product of the hard work of the players and the league for nearly four decades.

“I do believe that adding three more teams validates what we have been working hard for, what these players have been working hard for,” he said.

“Never has it happened [that there were] three applications for expansion. We have to congratulate our players for that for working hard.”