Making the most of a trial balloon

THE NBA announcement last Tuesday that the Indiana Pacers and the Houston Rockets will play a preseason game at Mall of Asia Arena is great news for NBA diehards, basketball fans and even NBA video game players.

It’s not the Miami Heat, Oklahoma City Thunder or Kobe revisiting the Philippines.  Instead, we will be getting James Harden and Jeremy Lin from the Rockets and Paul George and Danny Granger from the Pacers. That’s barring any injuries or other reasons for these stars not to come to Manila.

The passionate NBA faithful will probably not mind the cast as long as they can get the “affordable” ticket prices that have not been announced. The important thing for them is savor an NBA experience.

Looking at the project squarely, you can tell that the NBA is testing the waters in the Philippines. There’s no question about the MOA being a suitable venue or that Pinoy fans are passionate about NBA basketball.

The trial balloon is really to see if the country has the infrastructure and manpower to mount an NBA game outside of the United States and if the audience can cope with the prices of the tickets that will be tagged. If all goes well, then the NBA will definitely consider Manila as a regular stop for the preseason or even for a first game of the regular tournament.

This will be quite a challenge for organizers because, unlike boxing, where you bring in one fighter and probably an entourage of about five (that is, unless you’re Floyd Mayweather Jr. who has his own brigade of followers much like Manny Pacquiao’s troupe).

These are two basketball teams with huge coaching and logistical staffs. Housing them and providing adequate security are just a few of the main concerns.

A media contingent from overseas can be expected, too.

The organizers, especially from the Filipino side, should have no problem being capable hosts. We’re used to having many foreign basketball teams in the country for international tournaments.

As long as things remain organized and there is sufficient logistical support, then there should be no problems.

Understandably, the fans may not have all the access they want to the players. The NBA will be in the country very briefly because of the preseason schedule that has to be played in other US cities and the preparations that have to be done for the regular season.

Manila will be just one brief stopover in a tight schedule. We won’t have that many meet-and-greet sessions or opportunities for  many interviews, especially the “exclusive” type that broadcast networks and newspapers crave.

The best thing to do is to savor the experience, even if it does not give you the whole package. You may not get into the MOA when tickets get all gobbled up but you can surely catch the game on TV.

Be proud that it’s a Philippine venue that the announcers are talking about and the producers are illustrating visually. You may not get your picture with a Rocket or Pacer for your Facebook page but be happy that others, if ever, get a rare chance to get one.

We should all chip in and contribute to make this an unforgettable—though fleeting experience—for the NBA.  Let’s make them all want to come back to Manila and play more games here.