Beam Toothpaste, PBA settle Big Dome row

A representative of Beam Toothpaste yesterday said it was not the intention of the firm to pull a fast one on the PBA by having its product logo placed on strategic places at the Araneta Coliseum without the consent of the league.

Nelson Macaraig said he tried for weeks to seek an audience with commissioner Noli Eala so he could negotiate a deal in behalf of Beam but it turned out Eala was so busy attending to other matters.

"After I finally got to talk to commissioner Eala, we finally settled things and Beam came up with an offer to the PBA that the league accepted," said Macaraig.

The league yesterday announced it was accepting Beam’s offer to pay P5 million so its product logo could be placed in various areas at the Big Dome, where the PBA’s 29th season will open this Sunday, and also at the Philsports Arena in Pasig, where the league will also hold games.

"It was never our intention to resort to backdoor advertising. We negotiated with Araneta Coliseum officials in good faith. It so happened that when we signed a deal with Big Dome officials, we had not yet talked with commissioner Eala," said Macaraig.