One debacle too many for PBA

When such a widely read and distinguished journalist as Amando Doronila devotes his entire column to the Philippine Azkals’ breaking new ground, you know that the sport of football has reentered the consciousness of Filipinos.

Regrettably—and in stark contrast- the Philippine Basketball Association appears to be floundering amid an obvious public disinterest reflected by the dwindling crowds at the game venues and a downswing in television ratings.
To add to its miseries, the PBA finds itself mired in one debacle after another as evidenced by the embarrassing experience in Dubai, where the Talk ‘N Text team was bumped off on its return flight. It turned out that the promoter, Ramon Pizarras, who had a questionable background, hadn’t paid the travel agency.
What was even more inexplicable was how the two San Miguel Corp. teams—Barangay Ginebra and B-Meg—were able to leave.
The Texters, on the other hand, had to effectively fend for themselves with the players forking whatever dollars they had and using their credit cards to buy return airline tickets.
In fact, all three teams had to chip in to pay their hotel bills since their passports were not released, also because of non-payment by the promoter.
* * *
While PBA commissioner Chito Salud’s personal visit to the Talk ‘N Text practice to apologize to the team was commendable, clearly, any form of apology while welcome, should never suffice.
The PBA Commissioner’s Office must institute drastic measures to remove inefficiencies in its set-up and make sure that Salud gets the kind of administrative and creative support that will help steer the pro league out of its current woeful state.
The PBA board also needs to get real and face the fact that its product is nowhere near what it used to be in the so-called glory days and begin to realize that the PBA is no longer the hottest sports product in town, as some members think it still is.
* * *
The Dubai debacle comes at a most inappropriate time.
Public disinterest in the league can be gleaned from the TV ratings of the Azkals-Sri Lanka game before more than  13,000 emotionally charged fans at the Rizal Memorial Stadium and the listless atmosphere at the Araneta Coliseum with rows and rows of empty seats.
The Azkals game on the same ABS-CBN Channel, Studio 23, averaged 9.7 percent nationwide while the PBA games, including the overtime encounter between Petron and Alaska, rated a measly 2.2 percent.
The message is clear. The time for concerted, well-thought out action to reverse the trend is now. It’s a difficult task but it can be done. It’s all up to the PBA.
* * *
The decision of SMC president Ramon Ang to field a San Miguel Beer team in the Asean Basketball League behind a five-year commitment and his reference to the ABL as the fastest growing basketball league in Asia should send a clear message to the PBA.
The national awareness level of the PBA is very high but the corresponding public interest level is alarmingly low compared to the NBA, for instance, where  the awareness level is comparatively low but the interest level much higher.
The PBA needs to undertake a total and scientific reevaluation of its product and in the process launch a creative and sustained promotional campaign based on that survey.
* * *
The strategies that have seen the Azkals soar to new heights in the mindset of the Filipinos should serve as an example of how things should be done.
Perhaps, the PBA board should shun its attitude of seeking to get as much as it can from whoever bids for the broadcast rights and instead insist that a substantial portion of the franchise fee be channeled to a sustained promotional campaign approved by the PBA.
In the end such action will benefit the PBA whose teams seek to project their various brand names in the public marketplace.