“The PBA is healthy.”
With that short sentence, Philippine Basketball Association Chairman Ricky Vargas established the financial position of the league amidst reports that live gate attendance continues to decline.
PBA Commissioner Willie Marcial, who has just been rewarded by the PBA Board with a three-year extension of his contract to take care of the league’s day to day operations, shared that there was indeed a 4% decline in gate attendance in 2019.
But Vargas was quick to add that despite this, the PBA’s gate revenues still increased, such as its revenue streams, including the payment by TV 5 for the rights to air PBA games — the biggest contributor in the increase.
“But what we saw was the 20% to 25% increase in online viewers via live streaming, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and other online portals. The potential for revenues on this side has been recognized as being bigger,” said Marcial.
The PBA opens its 45th season on March 8 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Marcial also cited the record 3.5 million online viewers during Game 2 of the Ginebra San Miguel-Meralco finals, and the 3.2 million viewers in an earlier triple overtime game that bolstered the opportunity to expand the league’s revenues through online advertising
“We recognize that the present generation will always be using their cellphones that even if they are watching live, they will still be connected online to the outside world. Presently, we are in talks with Facebook and YouTube to explore possible tie-up opportunities,” added Marcial.
Vargas also expressed his confidence that “2020 will be a turnaround year for us, not with gate receipts, but in other areas.”