PBA looks back, pays tribute in Season 50 opener on Oct. 4 and 5

LAS VEGAS — A weekend of fun, fellowship and nostalgia ushers in PBA Season 50 on Oct. 4 and 5.

It’s a grand spectacle that intends to gather the biggest number of PBA personalities as possible — past and present — as the league celebrates a giant milestone five decades after opening shop in 1975.

League pioneers and the players that followed their footsteps will gather in a glitzy affair at the Meralco Theater on Oct. 4, looking back and reliving memorable moments. A bit earlier, members of the 12 current ballclubs take their turns mingling with the fans at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The next day, the league honors the achievers of the past season in the Leo Awards at the Novotel Hotel, immediately followed by the Season 50 opening rites at the Big Dome.

PBA chairman Ricky Vargas, as the tradition dictates, will declare the season open, then a one-game showcase gets the ball rolling for the season where TNT is to defend its Governors’ Cup and Commissioner’s Cup crowns and San Miguel Beermen its All-Filipino throne.

“It’s a year-long celebration with a theme ‘Solid Ang Galing, Solid ang Laban.’ But the main goal remains to entertain the fans with exciting games and make them happy. We’ll go around and bring the PBA closer to the fans,” said PBA commissioner Willie Marcial.

Games in New York, Bahrain and Dubai are among matches overseas slated in the three-conference calendar. The Philippine Cup will be the opening fare followed by the Governors’ Cup (with imports with unlimited height) then the Commissioner’s Cup (featuring imports with 6-foot-6 ceiling).

Format is single round robin in the elims with the top four gaining twice-to-beat incentive in the quarterfinals versus the next four. Both the semifinals and the finals will be best-of-seven affairs.

“There will be no more playoff for No. 8 spot. Ties will be resolved by quotient tiebreak,” said PBA chairman Ricky Vargas, presiding the league planning session here at the MGM Grand.

The league is also looking to arrange a separate mini-invitational to possibly accommodate a guest team.

“Meron kasing guest team na gustong lumaro sa Philippine Cup. It was turned down by the board since it’s All-Filipino. Eastern begged off while an Indonesian team eh medyo nabitin dahil sa gulo sa kanila at the moment,” said Mr. Marcial. — Nelson Beltran