RUMOR: The PBA D-League is in danger of losing teams to a soon-to-be-formed basketball league because some team owners have become increasingly frustrated over the lack of television coverage.
FACTS: Just over a week into the 2014 PBA D-League Foundation Cup, a number of grumbling team owners are already mulling withdrawal from the league next conference owing to the absence of a regular television coverage for the tournament.
A few of them, the source said, are even considering a move to Joe Lipa’s soon-to-be-formed regional commercial league, which is tentatively named Countrywide Developmental Basketball League and is planning a July opening with the reported backing of ABS-CBN as television partner.
Initially, Lipa made it clear that the new regional basketball league is not out to compete with the D-League. The former national coach had even discussed with several teams the possibility of retaining their membership in the D-League while also fielding teams in the new regional commercial tournament which he is planning to hold during the D-League’s offseason.
But with teams in the D-League looking for TV exposure of their brands, a permanent move to Lipa’s regional league appeared enticing due to reports that its games will be aired on the newly reformatted ABS-CBN Sports and Action Channel.
“Baka hindi na sumali sa D-League kapag walang TV coverage,” said the source who refused to be identified. “Siyempre ’yung exposure ang habol namin. Kung wala talaga ’yang TV coverage, marami talagang aalis lalo na’t matunog ’yung kay Joe Lipa dahil may TV coverage.”
Joining two leagues is also not a sound decision, the source said, since it will entail huge entry fees for the teams.
“Mamamatay ang D-League kapag walang TV,” the source added.
As it is, it is not only team owners who are frustrated with the D-League's lack of TV coverage. Spin.ph has been receiving inquiries about the D-League's TV coverage since a good number of players from the collegiate leagues or the pro ranks remain very popular.
Unlike before when PBA D-League matches were regularly aired by AKTV on IBC-13, only the finals series between NLEX and Big Chill was aired on AkysonTV Channel 41 - TV5's sister channel on the UHF band - during the last Foundation Cup.
When pressed for comment, PBA media bureau chief Willy Marcial said the league is currently talking with Sports5 and another network for the airing of the games this conference.
“’Yung AksyonTV, kinakausap na namin at mayroong isa pa,” Marcial said.
Marcial declined to reveal the other network but a separate source said Solar Sports is being eyed to air the D-League games. The same source also said the PBA, led by Commissioner Chito Salud, is doing everything to have a television coverage this conference.
But even if the D-League finds a new TV partner, the PBA-backed league may still lose to Joe Lipa's league in terms of the quality of the TV coverage because of the backing of ABS-CBN.
“Kahit magawan nila ng paraan ’yan, pero kung mas maganda ’yung TV coverage nung kay Joe Lipa, maraming lilipat kasi ABS-CBN eh,” said the source.
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