PBA, Sports5 fail to reach end on TV broadcast drama

MANILA, Philippines – The PBA and its TV partner Sports5 are in stalemate after the league’s Board of Governors failed to reach a decision on the latest proposal to air the games on UHF channel AksyonTV with parallel live and delayed coverage on TV5.

Under the latest proposal presented to the board on Thursday afternoon, all the games will be aired live on AksyonTV Channel 41 (Channel 29 in Cebu and Davao), the free-to-air sports and news channel of TV5.   But Sports5 threw in a parallel broadcast plan with live coverage of both the Sunday double-header and the second game of weekdays schedule on TV5 with the first game of weekdays on a slightly delayed basis at 10:30pm or after the late night news. (read related story: Parallel broadcast, new timeslot for PBA?)

“No decision yet, but the PBA and TV5 mutually agreed to abide by the terms and provisions of the broadcast contract, particularly on the reach and signal strength of the carrying station to be finally chosen,” PBA Commissioner Chito Salud told Philstar.com after the meeting.

Salud also said that both parties will meet again next week to iron things out in the hopes of finally ending the dilemma brought by the expiration of the blocktime agreement between TV5 and the government-owned IBC-13 last May.

PBA games along with TV5’s other sports properties such as the NCAA, PBA D-League and UFL were carried by AKTV on IBC-13 until the end of May. TV5 opted not to renew with the government-owned station as plans to privatize it will soon be carried out.

“All options are being explored within the context of our live contract,” Salud said.

The PBA is enjoying renewed success with Sports5 in their first one and half year of a five-year partnership with both gate receipts and TV ratings breaking past records.