THE PBA board of governors on Wednesday talked at length about some of the issues that fans have been urging the league to address, parity most of all.
Not a few fans have criticized the four-point shot that the league introduced for the coming season, saying it doesn’t address the problems that have weighed down the PBA and are blamed for its decline in popularity over the years.
However, PBA board chairman Ricky Vargas said the league adopted the four-point shot and other innovations precisely to address those issues.
“If you listen to what we were saying in this conference and how we have adjusted and how we put in the rules and how the teams have already (adjusted), with the unlimited height of imports in the next conference, and the adjustment of two groups, it is sort of addressing (those issues),” said Vargas.
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But at the end of the day, Vargas said parity is a very subjective matter and that it is not only the PBA but other leagues like the UAAP that are dealing with the same problem.
“Sino ba ang top four teams ng UAAP? At sino ba ang bottom teams ng UAAP? Meron din bang parity doon?” Vargas asked during the league's pre-season press conference at the EDSA Shangrila.
“In competition and in sports, I have five boxers in the Olympics. May parity ba doon kapag pumunta ka doon, kalaban mo mga mayayaman na bansa who have more investment iin training and technology?” added the concurrent chairman of the Alliance of Boxing Associations in the Philippines (ABAP).
“Sports equalizes. It’s not how rich you are or how poor you are. It equalizes. Kasi it’s more than just your wanting to win and your ability to win. It’s how you manage the team and how you want and your commitment to the team,” said Vargas.
“We addressed that. The board was very open, thus the change in rules,” said Vargas.
Parity is subjective, says Vargas
The TNT team governor thinks ways to address parity would be different from one person to the other.
“You cannot fix parity. It’s very subjective eh. Boxing, it’s a very subjective sport. I can complain all I want na mali ang judging and there will be 10 other people na mali ‘yung judging or tama ‘yung judging. At the end, it is the team that you bring and that goes out there.”
“Parity is a very vague question. Who is judging [who is] a weak team and [who is] a strong team? Is UE a weak team? It’s the best team they put together and it can win. UST, is it a weak team? Maybe for that conference it’s a weak team. Maybe in this UAAP, it’s going to be a strong team. It’s a very subjective point of view.
“Is Talk ‘N Text a weak team or a strong team? Ang sabi ninyo strong because your memory of Talk ‘N Text is one championship. But today, is it a strong team today? No, it’s going through a change and rebuilding.”
“Is San Miguel a strong team or a weak team? Today, narinig mo si [SMC sports director] Alfrancis [Chua] na it’s also going through a transition [period]. It’s a very subjective concept,” said Vargas.
Vargas is also aware of the fans’ sentiments about questionable trades that they feel hurt league parity. But that too, Vargas thinks, is also subjective since teams have different point of views on which trade is fair and which is not, and why teams make such moves in the first place.
“You are saying [lack of] parity because you question the trades. But who is questioning the trades? Experts? Non-experts? Owners of teams? Non-owners of teams? Who is in a better position to know whether that is the requirement of my team or not.
"Maybe I’m looking long term, or maybe I’m looking short term. Or maybe I want to win now like some other teams,” said Vargas.
PBA listens to criticism from fans
Amid the backlash over the four-point shot, questionable trades, and the lack of league parity, Vargas said the PBA has remained very receptive to the sentiments of fans, as it is a way for the league to improve.
“It’s very subjective but we appreciate that. We allow the discussion – mali ‘yung trade mo, unfair ‘yung trade mo. We allow that because it also makes us better. ‘Yun ang tingin ko sa lahat ng ito,” said Vargas.
Chua also weighed in, saying questions on parity has been there for many years not only in the PBA but also in other leagues and competitions as well.
“Sinabi niya sa UAAP or sa NCAA, pikit mata, alam natin kung sino malakas ng team. Bakit? Alam niyo ‘yun. ‘Yung mga magagaling na player, napupunta sa ganito, ganyan," said the Barangay Ginebra team governor.
“Since way, way, way back, wala pa ako sa PBA, commentator (pa ako), topic na ‘yan… Ang akin lang dito, you cannot change overnight,” said Chua.
Like Vargas, Chua said he, too, doesn’t mind the negative reactions of fans in the league as it only means that they are still interested in it, as shown in the league's high TV ratings.
“Kami, I told the governors, I told this to Chairman Ricky, I told this to Commissioner, ang daming bumabatikos sa PBA. Sabi ko, okay ‘yun. Napapansin pa tayo. Kapag hindi na tayo pinapansin, doon tayo matakot,” said Chua.
Vargas calls for support in the four-point shot which he believes would eventually work and be beneficial to the league.
“’Nung inintroduce ‘yung three points, meron bang nagreklamo doon? Ang daming nagreklamo. So it depends on whether you will be a follower or do you want to lead the change?
"We were thinking of the PBA. But I tell you, when we are successful, maraming (liga ang susunod). This has been discussed over the past few years by many other leagues. Maraming sasali.
“Today, we are alone. Tomorrow, we will be plenty,” Vargas said.
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