PBA moving out of Big Dome?

Should the league get a good deal with the Philippine Sports Commission, the Philippine Basketball Association would sever its ties with the Araneta Coliseum and hold most of its games at the Philsports Arena until probably the league has its own arena.

A STAR source said PBA commissioner Noli Eala is to meet PSC chairman Eric Buhain next week to discuss an arrangement making the government-owned sports arena the main hub of PBA games.

At the moment, the PBA has a heavy schedule of games at both the Araneta Coliseum and the Philsports Arena. But PBA officials appear dead-set on moving out of the Big Dome because of the "backdoor-advertisement" deals entered into by the venue officials.

Actually, the Philsports Arena has also gotten the same deals with the same advertisers, thus, streamers promoting different products are also displayed in strategic areas of the venue.

Apparently, the PBA believes it can request the PSC to do away with the backdoor-advertisement then work out an agreement which could be more beneficial to the government sports agency.

Without the ad streamers at the Philsports Arena, the PBA would reschedule all its games at the Big Dome to the Pasig sports venue.

The PSC gets a guaranteed pay of P5,000 plus a share in the gate receipts in every PBA playdate at the Philsports Arena.

Another venue being considered by the league is the Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay.

Pending the possible agreement between the PBA and the PSC, the Samsung All-Filipino Cup resumes today at the Big Dome.

Barangay Ginebra hopes to sustain its fiery game despite its hard-fought win over Talk N Text being nullified as it takes on Sta. Lucia Realty in the 7:30 p.m. main game. San Miguel Beer seeks to gain the solo lead in Group A as it goes up against tailender Purefoods in the 5 p.m. curtain-raiser.

The Office of the President’s Oplan Kalinga: Kumustahan program will be set up at the Big Dome South Gate, giving people at the Araneta Center a chance to have a free long-distance call to their friends and relatives in the Middle East during the games.