PBA stays on IBC-13

MANILA, Philippines - PBA stays on IBC-13 at least for another conference.

After almost two months of proposals and counter-proposals, the PBA and TV5 reverted back to the status quo.  The league and the Manny V. Pangilinan-owned network finally came to terms on Monday to continue airing the games live on IBC-13 under the original schedule at least for the season-ending Governor's Cup.

The two parties placed the public interest above all other considerations in arriving at the temporary solution to the dilemma brought by TV5 ending its block time deal with IBC-13 last May.

"We value our relationship and recognize TV5's role as positive factor for the league," PBA Commissioner Chito Salud told Philstar.com in a text message. "The PBA and TV5 are one in upholding the interest of our basketball fans."

The PBA-TV5 partnership has resulted in record gate receipts and TV ratings in the first one-and-a-half year of the agreed five-year deal.

"I'm very happy that the Governors' Cup will be enjoyed by the fans, especially coming from a basketball high with the FIBA-Asia tournament." said newly-installed TV president Noel Lorenzana. "We're happy to bring the games to everyone's homes and we look forward to continuing our partnership with the PBA."

Under the new deal, TV5 will buy time slot from IBC-13 specifically for the PBA games only while both parties agreed to resume talks for the permanent resolution of the league's carrying channel.

The league earlier rejected TV5's proposal to air the PBA games on its UHF news and sports channel AksyonTV and also the next two - airing the games on separate channels (IBC-13 for first game and TV5 for second game) and both games on TV5 with a 45-minute news break in between.

The Governors' Cup which features imports 6-5 and below will start on August 14 and will end on October 25 at the latest.