BALLOONS are passe,; confettis are in.
There are still fans asking why there were no balloons in the rafters of the Smart Araneta Coliseum during Game Six of the PBA Commissioner's Cup Finals.
These fans believed the absence of balloons was a clear sign the PBA didn't expect the Ginebra-Bay Area series to end on Wednesday night and was expecting a Game Seven at the Philippine Arena all along.
Sorry, but not so.
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Since the time of former commissioner Chito Narvasa, the league already did away with having balloons as part of championship celebration.
Like the NBA, Asia’s pioneering pro league now employs confetti machines which are more convenient to use.
“Matagal ng wala yun (balloons). Confetti na tayo, panahon pa ni Com Chito (Narvasa),” said commissioner Willie Marcial, who was Media Bureau chief back then.
Unlike balloons which had to be put in the rafters a day before the championship clincher, confetti machine can be brought out to the court just moments after the game.
“Mas maganda talaga ang confetti,” Marcial said.
There’s also the danger of the nylon strings holding up the net that carries the balloons in the rafters being accidentally hit during the course of the game.

“May tali yun sa tabi ng ring. Kapag yun tinamaan ng bola, laglag lahat yun (balloons). Kaya delikado na rin,” said Marcial.
From now on, don’t look for any balloons during championship moments.
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