Meralco Bolts’ Chris Newsome during Game 6 of the PBA Philippine Cup Finals.–MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
OSAKA—There was a lot of reaction from fans, good and bad ones, on the decision of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) board to implement a four-point distance for the league’s 49th season.
But the true measure of the new rule, one that will be the barometer if it will stay for the long-term, will be the games themselves.
“We will look to see if the rule will create more exciting games,” Alfrancis Chua, the San Miguel sports director and Barangay Ginebra governor who was elected board vice chair, told the Inquirer on Monday here.
READ: PBA leaves door open for four-point shot
The PBA board ended what most of its members said was their “most tiring, very fruitful” planning session the same day, confident that it has found the formula to stay as the best sports entertainment show back home.
“I think we have a pretty good handle on it,” Ricky Vargas, the TNT representative who was elected to another term as board chair, told reporters. “We are remodeling our house in order to build a new one.”
The four-point shot will be put in place for the first time when the 49th Season opens next month, and it’s the biggest of four rules changes the league will adopt to make the games faster and more interesting to its fans.
SocMed chatter
There was a lot of conversation on social media among fans and experts about the new rule, but Chua said the best way to judge the four-point shot would be the number of close games it creates.“When you’re down, hitting that shot can help a lot and it could make games more exciting,” Chua said. “That’s what we want to see.”
Vargas had talked at length on Sunday in admitting that the league has a problem as far as live attendance is concerned, and the members of the board spent hours of lively discussions and debate at Swissotel here to come up with ideas to address that.
READ: PBA: There’s a problem that needs fixing, says chair Ricky Vargas
They all agreed that something is wrong with the brand, and the four-point shot is one way of solving that.
Chua also said that players—starting this season—will be more available for interaction with the fans.
“This is not for us, this is for them (the fans),” Chua said as he will personally make sure that this is executed fully. “Look, fans pay good money to watch their idols. They also would want to shake their hands at the very least, or even have photos with them.
“And I will make sure that our players know that and do that, as well,” he said.
Raymond Zorilla of Phoenix was elected to another term as treasurer, while Ogie Narvasa, the former PABL commissioner, is now formally onboard as the new board secretary.