NLEX buying old franchise

NLEX was   expected  to  give  the  final  word  on  the   status  of its  membership in  the PBA  yesterday but as  early as Friday,  PBA  media  bureau  head  Willie   Marcial   and  NLEX  team  manager  Ronald  Dulatre  have been   flooded with inquiries  from  media   and  other interested parties.

From Cagayan De  Oro City, where  he  is  overseeing  the  game  between Meralco and San Miguel Beer, Marcial  advised the Inquirer yesterday  that  NLEX   has  requested   the PBA  Commissioner’s  office   for a  second  extension.

However,  commissioner Chito  Salud  has  yet to inform  him  of  the   new   deadline,  Marcial  said.

“The   letter of   request   was  sent   to  his   office,  I  haven’t  had   the  chance   to   read  it,”  Marcial   added.

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“We were  given  up  to June 16 to decide  if  we   are  coming   in  as  an  expansion  team  or  as  an  old   franchise,”  Dulatre said,  explaining   that   the  latter   meant   NLEX will be buying an  existing  franchise,  lock  stock   and  barrel.

Buying an  existing   franchise  will  help NLEX  achieve  its  objective  of  being  more   competitive.

But  then   everyone   knows   this  will   come  at  a    high  cost, presumably  at  a   very  high  cost.

“The old franchise could cost more   than   double  the  amount  of  an expansion  franchise,  at  the   very  least,”   disclosed  a member of the  PBA  board.

Dulatre said  that  he  cannot  reveal   as    yet which franchise NLEX   is  eyeing,  although  many suspect  the team has been  in  deep  negotiation  with   a  ballclub,  and  may  just  be tying the loose  ends at  this  point.

The NLEX Road Warriors  leave   for  Hong Kong and Macau  on Thursday. The  trip  is part   of   their bonus for  recently    winning    their  sixth  championship  in  the PBA D-League.

They   will   be back  on  June  15,   eve  of   the announcement   of   their   PBA status.

Dulatre expects management  to  have   several more  rounds  of  meetings   before  they  leave  for  their  bonus  trip.

The  top brass of NLEX  composed  of  Metro Pacific  Tollways Corporation president/CEO Ramoncito  Fernandez  and Manila  North Tollways Corp.’s Rod Franco, president/CEO  Chris Lizo   and  Dulatre, treasury senior manager met Friday night.

“We    should  be  meeting  within  the  next   few   days  with MVP  (Manny V. Pangilinan), the MPTC chair,  for  the   final  plan,” Dulatre   said.

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After  the    brief  interview  with the  NLEX   official   yesterday,   one    thing became   crystal   clear  in  my  mind: The D-League multititlist   is  definitely   in. It’s   just   a  question    of   whether  it  is   coming  in  as   an  expansion   team   or   as an  old   franchise.

According   to Marcial,    if  NLEX  is   coming  in  as   an  old   franchise,   this    will  again  require   the   approval  of  the  board.