Veiled league pullout threat by SMC

SAN Miguel Corp., the only remaining original member of the PBA, yesterday accepted league commissioner Chito Salud’s decision to ban Petron Blaze import Renaldo Balkman for unsportmanlike conduct but hinted at leaving Asia’s first play-for-pay league in the wake of negative publicity generated by the incident.

“We accept the decision to ban Mr. Balkman for life from the league. We do not condone his actions,”said an SMC statement that came after Salud sacked Balkman and fined him P250,000 for a fit of rage in the waning seconds of a losing game against Alaska last Wednesday.

But SMC, which is also represented in the ongoing Commissioner’s Cup tournament by Barangay Ginebra and San Mig Coffee, said the incident “has been blown out of proportion and has damaged our good name.”

“As such, given the possible long-term effect of this incident to the San Miguel organization image, and in consideration of our need to preserve our good reputation, management has decided to reevaluate the company’s continuing participation in the PBA,” the statement said.

San Miguel competed as Royal Tru-Orange when the PBA was formed in 1975 with former teams from the now-defunct MICAA. The franchise stayed on even as the other original members—Presto, U-Tex, Toyota, Crispa, Noritake, Carrier, Tanduay and Seven-Up—dropped out of the league one after the other.

Ramon S. Ang, the billionaire basketball enthusiast, owns a controlling stake in San Miguel Corp. whose three teams are among the most popular in the league.

The statement said that SMC’s basketball mandate “has always been to entertain basketball fans and foster camaraderie and a spirit of healthy competition. We pride ourselves in having great teams that serve as good role models to the youth and community.”

San Miguel officials said the company’s reputation is “of utmost importance to us” because they “have worked hard to cultivate this good name through decades.”

“But it takes only one unfortunate incident like this to undo all our efforts.”

SMC promised, however, to continue supporting Filipino athletes in general.