Willie Marcial admits difficulty in convincing companies to join PBA

PBA Commissioner Willie Marcial emphasized the significance of league expansion as one of the primary objectives for the upcoming year. However, he acknowledged the obstacles that need to be overcome in order to achieve this goal promptly.

During an interview on Cignal’s Long Conversation, Marcial revealed that he has engaged in discussions with various companies, urging them to become part of the PBA and add to the existing 12 teams in the league.

Nevertheless, Marcial candidly admitted that the ongoing negotiations with potential companies have encountered difficulties and have not progressed as smoothly as anticipated.

“May marching order sa akin ang board, sana makakuha tayo ng expansion team. Tinitignan natin, (pero) mahirap eh. May kinakausap ako, okay sila, biglang magbo-bog down. May kausap ako, okay sila, biglang hindi. Ang hirap,” stressed Marcial.

Marcial remains hopeful about the future of the PBA in 2024, as he strives to strengthen the league’s bond with the public through diverse strategies.

One of his key objectives is to enhance the television coverage of the games, and to achieve this, the PBA has recently revealed its partnership with CNN Philippines. As a result, the network will now broadcast live weekend games, further expanding the reach of the league.

“Sinabi ko noon na papaayos natin ang coverage. Masusing pinag-aaralan natin, ng TV5, Cignal, at PBA kung papaano natin mapapaganda ang coverage,” said Marcial.

Marcial also expressed his aspiration for the PBA to organize international games in the near future.

The commissioner mentioned that there have been initial discussions regarding the possibility of hosting games outside the Philippines.

“Dahan dahan tayong naglalaro sa out-of-town, ‘yung makalaro tayo sa ibang bansa, mapakita natin ang basketball ng Pilipinas at mapanood tayo ng ating mga kababayan. (Sana) once a month, makalaro tayo sa ibang bansa, malaking bagay ‘yun.”