Expansion teams to pay P100M franchise fee: Three make it PBA lucky 13

MANILA, Philippines - The PBA Board of Governors unanimously approved yesterday the expansion team applications of Metro Pacific Investments Corp., Ever Bilena and Columbian Autocar Corp., thus, increasing the league roster to an all-time high of 13 for its 40th season next year.

“It’s a momentous occasion for the PBA. Three expansion teams coming in all at the same time in time for the 40th season, nothing can be more exciting than that,” said PBA commissioner Chito Salud at the end of their special meeting that lasted over five hours.

Never in the long history of the PBA had there been more than 10 member ballclubs in one particular season. League membership rose to 10 in year 2000 on the entry of Red Bull, also through expansion.

“Three applied, three were recommended for approval and three were approved,” said Salud on the board’s approval of expansion team applications of Metro Pacific, Ever Bilena and Columbian Autocar Corp.

“They’ve been verbally notified of their acceptance. We’re sending them formal notice and we expect their formal acceptance within the week,” Salud also said.

The league chieftain said Metro Pacific will play as the NLEX Road Warriors, Ever Bilena the Blackwater Sports Elite and Columbian Autocar Corp. Team Kia.

Though NLEX and Blackwater Sports have existing teams in the PBA D-League, all three new PBA teams will start from scratch, meaning they will be forming their rosters from the expansion draft.

The PBA board decided existing teams will make a protect list of 14 players each, with the other players to be put on the expansion pool together with the veteran free agents and unrestricted rookie free agents.

“There are around 25 restricted active players then we’ve gathered around 40 veteran free agents. So they have around 65 players to choose from. Then you have the rookie free agents,” said Salud.

At the same time, the board agreed to give the three new teams the 11th, 12th and 13th picks in the coming draft. The order of their picks will be determined through lottery.

“Inasmuch as we wanted to give direct-hired players, only two of them have existing teams in the D-League. We want to be fair to all three,” said Salud.

Salud insisted the expansion applications of the three were approved unanimously.

“They are all liquid, profitable and would add value to the league,” said Salud. “The asking fee is P100 million. They accepted it and that settled things.

And with the addition of three teams to the league roster, Salud said they would be playing a minimum of four game days a week for 10 and a half months in a season.

Meanwhile, Talk n Text seeks to complete a sweep of its elimination-round assignments versus Globalport even as Meralco, with a healthier lineup after a nine-day respite, goes for an outright quarterfinals entry in taking on Barako Bull in the PLDT Home TVolution PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City tonight.

Import Richard Howell is a doubtful starter due to a shoulder injury suffered in a nasty fall Wednesday, but the Tropang Texters, nonetheless, are expected to come out to keep their winning ways and the crucial momentum going into the playoffs.