PBA Owners Meeting (Full Access)

PBA Team Owners’ Meeting, Minutes of the Meeting

PBA Commissioner Chito Salud confirmed that there will be a meeting of team owners on Jan. 25 at the Club Filipino in San Juan. Likely to be there are San Miguel Corps. President Ramon Ang, Manny V. Pangilinan of Talk N’ Text and Meralco, Rain or Shine’s Terry Que and Raymund Yu, George Chua of Barako Bull, Bert Lina of Air21, JB Baylon of Powerade and Fred Uytengsu of Alaska.

Like I did in the past, I have the ability to see as to what could possibly be the things to be said. Here’s the advanced minutes of meeting.

Commissioner Salud: Ok let’s get this thing going. Who wants to open the floor?

Ramon Ang: Since I own the most teams and I have the most championships, let me welcome you all for coming here. Let get this out of the way though, SMC is expanding its business interests, from petroleum to shawarma stalls, any of you guys want to sell your company to us?

All: (Laughing)

Fred Uytengsu in batik long sleeves: (Sneers)

Ramon Ang: No, I am serious.

Terry Que to Raymund Yu: (Are we on the red? Are we for sale?)

Commissioner Salud: Speaking serious, guys lets get real serious. We have 3 things to discuss. Top of the agenda today is building a PBA Coliseum. Can we really get this thing done?

Bert Lina of Air21: Yeah, let’s build it, I’ll handle the logistics!

JB Baylon: Since former-Atty, former-commissioner, now twitter-savvy Noli Eala days, we’ve already been talking about this PBA gym. But to do this, we need real commitment from us owners and continuity. We will not be able to this if we continue to change our commissioner every 2 years and and PBA chairman, every year. A stable leadership will result in better PBA financial condition. And, long-termed commissioner & chairman of 3 years is needed, enough for them to lead the way into building a coliseum in a three year span. Ok?

All: Yeahhhhhhhhhh!

JB Baylon: I nominate myself to be the Chairman!

Fred Uytengsu in batik long sleeves: (Sneers)

JB Baylon: Ok, I am just kidding Fred. Let’s get this thing rolling. We need a billion. Who’s willing to shell out 200 million now? To get the foundation done then we will figure out how to get added funds thru bank loans and each team chipping in ten million each per year of the 3 year span. Ok, 200 million, who got 200 million?

All: (Silence)

Fred Uytengsu in batik long sleeves: He sneers, then talks to his wife (yes Mrs. Uytengsu in the house) “Hon, building a coliseum is only a third of the problem, finishing it is another third of the problem. And the final third, making it profitable. Imagine all teams own the friggin coliseum. Who gets to run the coliseum and who’s to decide on big things to make this billion pesos structure a money making machine.” Joaqui Trillo (he is there too) claps in agreement! Then Joaqui asks the other people in the meeting room to clap the way he asks Alaska fans to say “A - LAS - KA! A - LAS - KA!

JB Baylon: Nobody? Ok, with no 200 million pesos, no hectare land, no host city that can give us good tax relief, I guess we should move on to the next agenda.

Commissioner Salud: Wait JB, why are you holding court, isn’t it my job to lead this kind of PBA meeting.

JB Baylon: Who told you so?

Commissioner Salud: My dad.

JB Baylon: Ah ok, shoot. Here’s a great refreshment, Coca Cola to cool you down.

Fred Uytengsu in batik long sleeves: (Sneers, then says “that’s a free plug!”)

Commissioner Salud: Thank you JB. Ok guys, any plans on what to do with our TV coveror.

Bert Lina: Let’s build a TV station, I’ll handle the logistics!

George Chua: I like your enthusiasm Bert but after the contract of Solar expires let’s just have a bidding among major TV stations.

Bert Lina: Ok, but is ABC 5 paid already with PBA?

Manny Pangilinan: I support the AZKALS!

Bert Lina: That’s not the topic Mr. Pangilinan.

Manny Pangilinan: I support the badminton. I support the Gilas.

Bert Lina: Whatever. If ABC 5 is unpaid, that makes Studio 23, Ch 4, Ch 9, Ch 13 as probable destinations.

Ramon Ang: I like Channel 13. Then let’s have another basketball show featuring Chino Trinidad and Anthony Suntay, like in the old Vintage days, that would be awesome.

All: Yeah!

Bert Lina: Let’s invite Chiqui Roa too!

George Chua: Request guys, can we ask our TV coveror to hire the following: Randy Sacdalan, Magoo Marjon, Luigi Trillo, Ramon Fernandez & Peaches Aberin.

Joaqui Trillo : (Interjects) I agree George, Luigi definitely is super knowledgeable and talks with a lot of sense.

Commissioner Salud: Um, this is team owners’ meeting Joaqui.

Fred Uytengsu in batik long sleeves: (Sneers)

Commissioner Salud: Ok, consensus is PBA coverage is for rebid. Next up, what to with the national team?

JB Baylon: Let’s hear Mr. Smart Gilas himself, Mr. Pangilinan, he got his hands on that.

Manny Pangilinan: Honestly guys, I dunno what the plan is right now. I’ll talk to Noli Eala soon and see where we are at. As soon as Noli done tweeting, he said, he’ll do his presentation.

JB Baylon: Rest assured Mr. Pangilinan, our company will always support the national team, in spirit and in funds, just as long as you call the team Philippine Powerade!

Commissioner Salud: Ok, so that’s it. Let’s wait for SBP’s Noli Eala report and act on this. But may I suggest, if the SBP will also do bunot-bunot system from PBA teams, and pick 4 to 5 players from PBA, what is the sense of having a developmental team? Why not for one last time, let’s try forming a PBA national, super team and after that, if really nothing happens, let’s go back to SBP’s plan. Besides, I’d like to see Chris Tiu in the PBA, I am really intrigued as to what he can do in the PBA, playing full-time. (Have you seen Tiu’s Milo commercial? This guy is a power dunker!)

Terry Que and Raymund Yu: In duet, ok 3 topics done! But guys, can we talk about the unfair & lopsided trades that’s been going on for years?

Bert Lina: Wait, I got phone call to make.

George Chua: Me too, let me grab some Barako Bull in the fridge.

Manny V. Pangilinan: Wait, I got a graduation speech to proof-read.

Ramon Ang: Nahhhh Terry & Raymund, we got other things important to talk about. BTW, Manny, hows the power sector doing, we really want to be in play with that. (Manny Pangilinan & Ramon Ang discuss business things)

Fred Uytengsu in batik long sleeves: (Sneers)

Terry Que and Raymund Yu: (To Ramon Ang) But sir? Balance of the league hinges on that. Not to mention the salary cap rule, is this being followed?

All: (Silence)

Ramon Ang: (Gets his smartphone, calls his finance chief, I’d like to buy a paint company. I think that’s a good business to be in, construction business is on the upside.)

Commissioner Salud: Terry, we need to set another meet for that. Figuring out salary cap & numbers will eat a lot of time. Ok, so guys I’ll set another meeting for now lets call this a wrap.

JB Baylon: Yeah, yeah, (holding coke-in-can) cheers to a productive meeting!

Fred Uytengsu in batik long sleeves: (Sneers)