PBA plans to return to three-conference format

MANILA, Philippines – Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) chairman Joaqui Trillo of Alaska reiterated the league's plans to return a three-conference format. The PBA had been a three-conference league until 2003 when former commissioner Noli Eala adopted the two-tournament format to allow the PBA schedule to coincide with the international-basketball calendar. Although the plan is still in its early stages, the PBA is open to the idea of having two regular conferences – the Philippine Cup and the Reinforced – with the other tournament being an Invitational. “The [PBA board] has just started to discuss it and there’s no definite decision on it yet. We may or may not push through with it depending on the status of the national team," said Trillo. PBA commissioner Sonny Barrios said, “There’s no finality on this issue yet." The format change could be carried out as early as the 2009-10 season, although the PBA's involvement with the national team that will compete in the 2010 Fiba-Asia qualifying tournament could force the PBA put on hold the planned changes. Meanwhile, Barrios said he is looking forward to the new PBA season with great optimism, adding that he is confident more competitive games will be in store for fans in the season-opening Philippine Cup. “We foresee intense competition. The teams have improved their line-ups during the off-season and we hope that we can sustain the same action-packed games the PBA is always known for," said Barrios. With a new TV partner in Solar Sports on cable and CS-9 on free TV and a new board chairman in Trillo, the league has adopted the theme ‘PBA Caring for Batang Pinoy’ which it will demonstrate with an hour-long opening program involving children all under 10 years old. Fresh from a season where it drew a record 22,902 in attendance for a single game (Fiesta Conference Finals), the PBA will also undergo minor rules changes. Among the new regulations that will be implemented at the start of the season are the ball-hogging violation which will now be stretched to five seconds instead of the previous three, and the live-ball timeouts which can only be called by the player in possession of the ball and anymore by his coach. – GMANews.TV