I don’t know who or what to credit this one for, but of late I’ve been seeing unmistakable shades of the old PBA. By this, I mean the days when the professional basketball league was at the height of its popularity.
For one thing, the crowd is definitely back, especially on a Ginebra game day. PBA media Bureau chief Willie Marcial isn’t too proud or happy when the gate receipt figure he gives the press on a particular game day is only within the vicinity of 13,000 spectators.
Last Sunday, I saw for myself the impressive turnout. The Smart Araneta Coliseum was almost filled to the rafters, the number of spectators numbering over 13,000. The Big Dome was packed up to the topmost level of the upper box section. Only the general admission area was not full.
Abante sports columnist Zaldy Perez, who also covers the PBA games on radio, says one factor that has probably brought back rabid interest in the league is the competitive balance of the teams.
All the matches are exciting and I believe the PBA is back to its glory days. Not only is it being talked about, and not only do the gate receipts continue to increase and the ratings continue to climb, but it seems the league has also gone viral.
Proof is the recent video of Mick Pennisi’s flop that went viral over the Internet. Basketball blogs from the United States gave their comments on the funny video that saw the delayed reaction of Mick after Petron’s new import Will McDonald threw the ball at him.
Brian Noe of ESPN Radio called it the mother of all basketball flops. Ben Golliver of CBS Sports was quoted as saying “The ball-to-head slam is great, the delayed reaction is priceless and Pennisi’s sheer audacity sends the hilarity to the moon.”
I even heard that ABS-CBN’s Bandila and GMA 7’s 24 Oras gave some air time to this goofy video of the big guy from Barako Bull.
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Even the PBA players I’ve talked to liked the type of attention that the league is getting these days.
According to Kerby Raymundo, who recently transferred to Barangay Ginebra, he has some trouble getting tickets now.
“I think maraming gustong manood ngayon lalo for this conference kasi nag-e-enjoy sila sa games.
Kerby’s teammate Rico Villanueva agrees: “Dalawang games na namin lagpas ng 13,000 fans ang nanonood,” referring to the two Sunday games where they recently played against B-Meg and Talk ‘N Text.
Talk ‘N Text forward Jarred Dillinger is also enjoying the coverage when he watches on TV and compares it to how they do it in the States.
“I just like the way how AKTV is handling the games. I like how they put drama into the games and being funny at the same time. In the end, it’s the entertainment for the fans.”
LJ Moreno, wife of Talk ‘N Text guard Jimmy Alapag, likes the show biz treatment in the coverage.
“They know now how to play up the drama and all that stuff.”