ASEAN Basketball League (Assoc. of Southeast Asian Nation Basketball League)

[the_BuGs]

Asean Basketball League confident of growth in challenging times



THIS is no six nations championship.

Well, it is, for at least a season.

But several veteran sports league organizers and corporate executives consider basketball as the second-most popular sport in the world next to football, and believe that with 600 million people in the region, the Asean Basketball League (ABL) will thrive.

Of course, rugby’s Six Nations Championship—which, until the year 2000, was known as the Five Nations and decades before that the Home Nations featuring four squads—is a battle among nations and not commercial squads like the ABL.

The clubs from six countries in Southeast Asia get to field five nationals and are allowed to hire imports from outside of the region and players from neighboring countries, including rival nations. Teams play home and away eliminations and playoffs.

That should make the newest cage league—the first commercial basketball competition in the region—more like a small-scale version of the European football leagues.

Several team owners have yet to actually complete their rosters for the first season coming off the wraps in October, but they are confident of the progress that they believe the league will soon be able to expand to a dozen and are envisioning a full lineup of 20 squads—perhaps looking at the model of the premier divisions in the English, Italian and Spanish football.

“This will not be limited to six nations. We’ll try to expand it to as far as 20, probably in two years’ time,” said Mikee Romero, who coowns the Philippine Patriots with Tony Boy Cojuangco.

Mikee Romero (top left), coowner of the Philippine Patriots, explains the new league’s concept and later joins organizers, team owners and some of the players in posing before photographers.



“This is Southeast Asia’s answer to the big leagues,” he added.


The league, launched on Tuesday in Makati City with top executives of the clubs in attendance, is also looking forward to a world club competition to be organized by basketball’s world governing body, the Federation Internationale de Basketball.

“It is the dream of the association to see some of our members be among the best in the Asian region,” said Southeast Asian Basketball Association president Erick Thohir of Indonesia.

Thohir noted that economy in the region is “okay,” and inspired by the growth of cricket in India, the ABL has high hopes.

He cited an article in a regional magazine which said that in two years, the Indian cricket league is expected to gain revenue comparable with those of the premier football leagues in Europe.

“That’s cricket. Basketball is the No. 2 sport in the world right now,” he said, stressing that with hard work, the sport can reach greater heights as football in the region. Domestic leagues in Southeast Asia, he said, get higher television ratings than the English Premier League.

The games will be shown in the Philippines on TV5. The league is currently also negotiating with international carriers.

The Philippine Patriots will battle it out against The Brunei Barracudas, KL Dragons of Malaysia, Indonesia’s Satria Muda BritAma, the Thailand Tigers and the Singapore Slingers, which competes in the Australian League.

The league was formed in January and will have its first season from October to February with the finals to be held in Malaysia.

The ABL will also have a junior development program for players aged 17 and below.

Imports will have a maximum salary of $10,000 a month. There will be no salary caps for nationals.



rinig ko si Johnny A. and Vergel Meneses kasama sa team.. then Chico Lanete then Louie Alas as Coach.....


mag click kaya to?


kung may similar thread please merge.....

[TheClockWorks7]

Asean Basketball League confident of growth in challenging times



THIS is no six nations championship.

Well, it is, for at least a season.

But several veteran sports league organizers and corporate executives consider basketball as the second-most popular sport in the world next to football, and believe that with 600 million people in the region, the Asean Basketball League (ABL) will thrive.

Of course, rugby’s Six Nations Championship—which, until the year 2000, was known as the Five Nations and decades before that the Home Nations featuring four squads—is a battle among nations and not commercial squads like the ABL.

The clubs from six countries in Southeast Asia get to field five nationals and are allowed to hire imports from outside of the region and players from neighboring countries, including rival nations. Teams play home and away eliminations and playoffs.

That should make the newest cage league—the first commercial basketball competition in the region—more like a small-scale version of the European football leagues.

Several team owners have yet to actually complete their rosters for the first season coming off the wraps in October, but they are confident of the progress that they believe the league will soon be able to expand to a dozen and are envisioning a full lineup of 20 squads—perhaps looking at the model of the premier divisions in the English, Italian and Spanish football.

“This will not be limited to six nations. We’ll try to expand it to as far as 20, probably in two years’ time,” said Mikee Romero, who coowns the Philippine Patriots with Tony Boy Cojuangco.

Mikee Romero (top left), coowner of the Philippine Patriots, explains the new league’s concept and later joins organizers, team owners and some of the players in posing before photographers.



“This is Southeast Asia’s answer to the big leagues,” he added.


The league, launched on Tuesday in Makati City with top executives of the clubs in attendance, is also looking forward to a world club competition to be organized by basketball’s world governing body, the Federation Internationale de Basketball.

“It is the dream of the association to see some of our members be among the best in the Asian region,” said Southeast Asian Basketball Association president Erick Thohir of Indonesia.

Thohir noted that economy in the region is “okay,” and inspired by the growth of cricket in India, the ABL has high hopes.

He cited an article in a regional magazine which said that in two years, the Indian cricket league is expected to gain revenue comparable with those of the premier football leagues in Europe.

“That’s cricket. Basketball is the No. 2 sport in the world right now,” he said, stressing that with hard work, the sport can reach greater heights as football in the region. Domestic leagues in Southeast Asia, he said, get higher television ratings than the English Premier League.

The games will be shown in the Philippines on TV5. The league is currently also negotiating with international carriers.

The Philippine Patriots will battle it out against The Brunei Barracudas, KL Dragons of Malaysia, Indonesia’s Satria Muda BritAma, the Thailand Tigers and the Singapore Slingers, which competes in the Australian League.

The league was formed in January and will have its first season from October to February with the finals to be held in Malaysia.

The ABL will also have a junior development program for players aged 17 and below.

Imports will have a maximum salary of $10,000 a month. There will be no salary caps for nationals.



rinig ko si Johnny A. and Vergel Meneses kasama sa team.. then Chico Lanete then Louie Alas as Coach.....


mag click kaya to?


kung may similar thread please merge.....

parang mas ok pa ito compared sa PBA

[Jess24]

The concept is good, but the question is, will the quality of play be good enough to rake in the fans (gate receipts and tv viewership in the region)? Basketball is religion in RP but in the other Asean nations, I doubt if it commands the same attention. In the long run, expenses will become a primary concern for the league and the teams.

[the_BuGs]

kaya pala umatras na si mikee romero sa PBA... (or part pa rin ba sya ng BK?)


well for sure sa fanbase eh... RP,Singapore and Thailand.... ewan ko na lang iba...


i think yung magiging commissioner nito or chariman.. eh si Toni Fernandes.. Indian Nationality pero malaysian citizen.. owner and ceo ng Air Asia... marketing side medyo ok

[bob_andrews]

this is the answer. para naman tumaas taas ang ambisyon ng mga local players natin. ang ambisyon kasi ng halos lahat ng players makapaglaro sa pba.

i support the asean or even asian league.

pba walang kwenta.

[the_BuGs]

kelan na talagang ma amend ang law ng PBA baka maraming mag ala Japeth dahil dito


at least ito FIBA rules....

[durden_tyler]

Over and under before the league folds?

i say, under 5 years. Money isn't everything as these people will discover later on (See: MBA)

Either way, a welcome development for our Filipino scrubs (and oldies) because they just found a new employer.

[the_BuGs]

^
pero hindi mo sya makukumpara sa MBA..... at least eto one per country... besides hindi lang naman pinoy mamumuhunan pati na rin ang mga neighbors natin sa South East Asia....

ang magpapa excite lang kasi dito eh... other countries ang kalaban mo...kahit papaano may pride

[Jay P. Mercado]

I have reservations about this league though. While I welcome it, for it will give employment to the discarded players in the PBA, PBL, La Liga, etc., it's not a huge tournament as it may be envisioned.

For one, this is a basketball tournament among SEA nations. No one among our SEA neighbors prioritize basketball as we do. Perhaps, had this been soccer, it would be different. We would be expecting no less than the Thais, the Indons, the Malaysians, the Burmese, the Singaporeans, the Viets, etc. to be actively involved with this. But basketball? The support would be there in the initial years but I don't think this league has enough gas in its tank to survive.

I hope I'm wrong though...

[TheClockWorks7]

I have reservations about this league though. While I welcome it, for it will give employment to the discarded players in the PBA, PBL, La Liga, etc., it's not a huge tournament as it may be envisioned.

For one, this is a basketball tournament among SEA nations. No one among our SEA neighbors prioritize basketball as we do. Perhaps, had this been soccer, it would be different. We would be expecting no less than the Thais, the Indons, the Malaysians, the Burmese, the Singaporeans, the Viets, etc. to be actively involved with this. But basketball? The support would be there in the initial years but I don't think this league has enough gas in its tank to survive.

I hope I'm wrong though...

you may be right though. singapore slingers is a fine example. theyve been around for quite a while but theyre hoome games are usually empty. expats watch their home games to cheer on the visiting team. ouch. which is why they tried to recruit a filipino by the name of jason castro in the hopes of getting the support of filipino expats in singapore. it is interesting to note that jason castro abandoned the slingers while still under contract to play for the PEA BEE EEH.

[durden_tyler]

^
pero hindi mo sya makukumpara sa MBA..... at least eto one per country... besides hindi lang naman pinoy mamumuhunan pati na rin ang mga neighbors natin sa South East Asia....

ang magpapa excite lang kasi dito eh... other countries ang kalaban mo...kahit papaano may pride

Well there are similarities--- regional format, remember? One of the downfall of the MBA is logistics, traveling from one province to another proved too costly! Imagine the budget in traveling from one country to another.

But yeah, it's a pretty interesting concept since it's a first of its kind. They'd pretty much appeal in the first two years and from there fans will decide if this is a quality league or not.

Since this is another "RP team" of course we will watch it just like we watch La Liga games from time to time.

[durden_tyler]

it is interesting to note that jason castro abandoned the slingers while still under contract to play for the PEA BEE EEH.

The Slingers however released him and gave him permission to play in the PBA. Money matters, they couldn't pay him anymore!

[tickle_me_emo]

Employment oppurtunities indeed for the average pro and semi-pro pinoy cagers... aside from the 12-14 spots in the Philippine Patriots (gad, i hate that name!...no creativity), the other teams are allowed to recruit pinoy cagers as well, playing as Asian imports.

but I dont see 2nd tier players like Jonas Villanueva, Denok Miranda, KG Caneleta, Ronald Tubid etc. bolting to join ABL in the next 2 years.

[roadwarrior]

the only question in launching any new endeavor is "will people buy what you're selling."

the big names behind the league may not be well-known in this country but the fernandeses and thohirs are movers and shakers who have a vision to expand their presence throughout the region.

the novelty aspect will be a positive at the beginning but in the end, it will be the competitiveness of the product that decides its long-term viability

[the_BuGs]

Well there are similarities--- regional format, remember? One of the downfall of the MBA is logistics, traveling from one province to another proved too costly! Imagine the budget in traveling from one country to another.

But yeah, it's a pretty interesting concept since it's a first of its kind. They'd pretty much appeal in the first two years and from there fans will decide if this is a quality league or not.

Since this is another "RP team" of course we will watch it just like we watch La Liga games from time to time.

regional format but different stakeholders.... yung chairman ng (Fernandes) league na to eh yung CEO ng low cost airline Air Asia ng malaysia...

well hintayin na lang natin kung kakagatin to...

business side medyo magaling tong si fernandes din eh.. pati ME napasok na nya..

[VagrantSoul]

Well as a basketball enthusiast I welcome this new league. This is a good and refreshing option for the audience and players alike of the much hyped PBA.

[liontamer]

The Slingers however released him and gave him permission to play in the PBA. Money matters, they couldn't pay him anymore!

unfortunately his release was supposed to take effect in jan 2009, ergo he still had a live contract during the time he entered the pba draft, worst he left the slingers abruptly which was very unprofessional imho.

Slingers sad, angry over Castro’s abrupt departure

By Beth Celis
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 00:49:00 09/14/2008

Filed Under: Basketball, Sport


That morning I got a frantic overseas phone call from Paul Monozca, who refers to himself as the unofficial guardian or padrino of Slingers cager Jason Castro.

“Please note that Jason left without the knowledge of and coordination with the Slingers,” he had texted before the call. Paul said he was afraid this recent development could make him lose his credibility and taint his reputation.

“Nobody knew that Jason was flying back to Manila last Tuesday. The agreement was that the Slingers would let him go in January, a month and a half before his contract expires.”

* * *

Paul concluded that Jason must have left his apartment at about 4 a.m. to catch an early morning flight.

“He called me at about a little past six to say goodbye. Nobody knew that he was leaving, not even his cousin Dexter who lives with him in his flat.”

Slingers owner Bob Turner was devastated upon learning that Jason left just like that, according to Paul.

“The team is both sad and angry. They could not understand why he had to leave surreptitiously.”

“When the Slingers pulled out of the Australian NBL, they asked Jason if he still wanted to play with the team. He said yes. They continued to pay him his salary, launching a program that built the team around him,” Paul disclosed.

On Saturday, Paul flew to Manila to meet with Talk ‘N Text’s Ricky Vargas and Chot Reyes. He said the meeting went well.

“They were very understanding about the emotions of the Slingers at this time and offered to ship two point guards to Singapore in lieu of Jason. I will take this proposal to the Slingers and trust that this would be a good option. Ricky and Chot had not been informed properly about Jason’s commitments in Singapore,” Paul said.

[TheClockWorks7]

unfortunately his release was supposed to take effect in jan 2009, ergo he still had a live contract during the time he entered the pba draft, worst he left the slingers abruptly which was very unprofessional imho.

Slingers sad, angry over Castro’s abrupt departure

By Beth Celis
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 00:49:00 09/14/2008

Filed Under: Basketball, Sport


That morning I got a frantic overseas phone call from Paul Monozca, who refers to himself as the unofficial guardian or padrino of Slingers cager Jason Castro.

“Please note that Jason left without the knowledge of and coordination with the Slingers,” he had texted before the call. Paul said he was afraid this recent development could make him lose his credibility and taint his reputation.

“Nobody knew that Jason was flying back to Manila last Tuesday. The agreement was that the Slingers would let him go in January, a month and a half before his contract expires.”

* * *

Paul concluded that Jason must have left his apartment at about 4 a.m. to catch an early morning flight.

“He called me at about a little past six to say goodbye. Nobody knew that he was leaving, not even his cousin Dexter who lives with him in his flat.”

Slingers owner Bob Turner was devastated upon learning that Jason left just like that, according to Paul.

“The team is both sad and angry. They could not understand why he had to leave surreptitiously.”

“When the Slingers pulled out of the Australian NBL, they asked Jason if he still wanted to play with the team. He said yes. They continued to pay him his salary, launching a program that built the team around him,” Paul disclosed.

On Saturday, Paul flew to Manila to meet with Talk ‘N Text’s Ricky Vargas and Chot Reyes. He said the meeting went well.

“They were very understanding about the emotions of the Slingers at this time and offered to ship two point guards to Singapore in lieu of Jason. I will take this proposal to the Slingers and trust that this would be a good option. Ricky and Chot had not been informed properly about Jason’s commitments in Singapore,” Paul said.

yan pala dapat tingnan ng PBA kung DELIKADEZA ang pag uusapan eh.

[killernoodle]

yan pala dapat tingnan ng PBA kung DELIKADEZA ang pag uusapan eh.

pre puro na lang jason castro hehehe, kahit sa ibang topic favorite example, bitter talaga sa pba hehehe, it takes 2 to tango, so malamang gusto din ni jason lumipat

dati ganyan din ako nawalan ako gana sa pba nung dumating mga fil-shams, pero naisip ko kung iiwan ko pa ano na lang matitira, gagawa ulit ng professional league, knowing pinas, tagal nun para maging established

pba is just fine for pinoy standards, nba is just fine for american/international standards, ganun lang iyon

[TheEndofDays]

Since si Toni Fernandes and may akda nito, sana may priviledge na ang mga teams and staff ay parang may commuter pass sa Air Asia, para medyo mababa ang travel expenses.