After bouncing around Ninoy Stadium to Rizal Memorial to MOA to Big Dome to Dasma last season, the PBA says it is ’70-75 percent’ leaning towards building its own stadium with a business partner

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OSAKA – The PBA is hell-bent on realizing its dream of having its own playing venue.

Board chairman Ricky Vargas disclosed the league is now seriously pursuing building a coliseum it can call as its own heading to its 50th season and beyond.

Vargas added the league already has a business partner on the construction of the arena, with the PBA tasked to find a suitable place where the venue will be built.

“We always dreamt of a PBA arena. But not known to you, it has progressed. We have a partner that has offered to build the arena in a joint venture basis as long as we can give them the land,” said Vargas in the ongoing PBA board planning session at the Swissotel Nankai here.

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Corporate secretary Atty. Ogie Narvasa is tasked to spearhead the negotiations as a prospective venue has already been identified.

Commissioner Willie Marcial said the location is within Metro Manila and measures about two to three hectares.

But he refused to identify the place since negotiations are just about to begin.

“Mas malapit na matuloy ito ngayon kaysa noon,” said Marcial. “Dati halos one to two percent lang. Ito Ngayon, 70-75 percent.”

The plans of the PBA having its own coliseum was first proposed in 2010 under then board chairman Buddy Encarnado of Sta.Lucia.

The idea was again broached the first time Vargas became chairman.

But both deals hardly reached first base until the plan was shelved during the pandemic.

During the last Season 48, the league bounced around from one venue to another, holding games at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, Mall of Asia Arena, Ninoy Aquino Stadium, Rizal Memorial Coliseum, and Philsports Arena.

PHOTO BY: REUBEN TERRADO

“Ginagawa tayong yoyo,” said newly-elected vice chairman Alfrancis Chua. “Pag gusto nila, hihilahin tayo. Pag ayaw nila, bibitawan tayo.”

Besides, Vargas disclosed the PBA spent P43-P45 million on rentals the last season.

“Di bale kung babayaran namin ‘yan sa isang coliseum para sa amin (PBA) ‘yung buong taon. Kaso hindi, e. Paikot-ikot kami. Travelling journeyman kami,” said Vargas.

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Hopefully that would change as the league pursues building its own coliseum.

“Kung walang stability, palipat-lipat tayo. Hindi malalaman ng fans kung saan tayo pupunta,” added the chairman.

“So that’s a big challenge for us, ‘yung invest and build up auxiliary business.”