PBA commissioner Willie Marcial said television viewership will make up for the expected drop in gate attendance when the 48th Season Philippine Cup Finals between San Miguel and Meralco start on Wednesday at the Smart Aaraneta Coliseum.
The PBA had hoped a dream final beween San Miguel and its sister team Ginebra will make up for weeks of doldrum attendance at the venues. But Barangay Ginebra, the country's most popular ball club and which traditionally attracts countless diehard fans to its games, did not do its part as it fell to Meralco in a thrilling seven-game semifinal series.
Marcial's assessment of a boost in viewership emanates from recent figures culled by the PBA during the recent Meralco-Ginebra semifinal where it noted a spike in fans watching games on television.
Marcial said the TV ratings were particularly good during the semifinals, citing Game Five of the Meralco-Ginebra semifinals where the game got 2.8 million eyeballs (viewers).
Game Seven of the same series held last Friday in San Jose, Batangas, meanwhile, garnered a 2.4 rating.
TV ratings in semifinals higher than average
Both numbers are higher than the league’s average of 1.2 during the previous conference, the 2023-24 Commissioner’s Cup.
“Hindi tayo iniiwan ng fans, nadadagdagan pa,” said Marcial during Monday’s pre-finals press conference, attributing the rise to all the PBA games now being seen on RPTV.
Meralco defeated Barangay Ginebra, 78-69, at the conclusion of their contested semifinal series, but many feel it proved costly for the PBA as the game ousted the league's biggest draw,
While admitting that there will be more viewers had Ginebra made it to the finals, Marcial expressed confidence that the San Miguel-Meralco finals series will still draw many viewers especially with the way the Bolts have been playing.
Meralco bringing different brand of basketball to fans
Marcial said Meralco has brought a different kind of basketball during the semifinals that fans would surely watch.
“Sa ginagawa ng Meralco ngayon, makita lang ng tao na bakbakan, malaking bagay ‘yun. Iba rin ‘yung Ginebra. Pero ibang brand of basketball naman ang binibigay sa atin ngayon ng Meralco,” said Marcial.
As for gate attendance in the finals, Marcial cited challenges why the TV viewership hasn’t been reflected at the venue.
“Katulad ng sinasabi ko, baka economics, venues, nahihirapan sila, sa weather. But at least, nandiyan pa rin sila (fans)," he said, while most likely looking at the heavens and keeping his fingers crossed.
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