Salud expects record PBA season anew

Philippine Basketball Association commissioner Chito Salud is convinced that the league will break the gate attendance record it established last season.

“We had quite a year behind us,” Salud said yesterday during the formal launch of the PBA’s 38th Season which gets going with the Philippine Cup starting with Sunday’s Barangay Ginebra-Global Port tussle at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

“We are looking forward, and we are optimistic to sustain the gains we had in the previous season.”

Last season, the PBA grossed an astonishing P114 million in gate receipts with  the league crowning three champions—Talk ‘N Text in the Philippine Cup, B-Meg in the Commissioner’s Cup and Rain or Shine scoring a breakthrough in the Governors’ Cup.

That balance is what Salud is pinning his hopes on, aside from the bumper crop of newcomers strutting their stuff this season, led by the phenomenal June Mar Fajardo, the No. 1 overall pick by Petron Blaze.

“The fans have clearly spoken. They want fast-paced action, balanced competition, and they’re looking forward to the new faces, the rookies, who will continue to challenge the veterans. We intend to pound on these elements,” Salud added.

Barangay Ginebra’s Robert Non is the new chair and, together with Salud, intends to make the games even better.

The Tropang Texters will be trying to win the Philippine Cup for a record third straight time with returning coach Norman Black, the Grand Slam-winning mentor with San Miguel in 1989.

Black, who pulled off the Triple Crown sweep in 1989, took over from Chot Reyes, who is now handling the Smart Gilas-Pilipinas program being bankrolled by PLDT/Smart tycoon Manny V. Pangilinan.

And Non believes that even though the Texters did not tinker with their lineup in the off-season, they remain as the team to beat in the tournament.

But focus on opening day will be on the Gin Kings and reigning MVP Mark Caguioa, with the crowd-favorites adding two promising rookies to put some youth into their ageing roster.

Keith Jensen and Chris Ellis will hug the spotlight even as Willie Miller, the former two-time MVP with two different clubs, and PBA Press Corps Scoring Champion Gary David team up together for the first time for the Batang Pier.