A LEAGUE for the long run.
This was stressed by former Ateneo star and PBA player Jai Reyes in launching Filbasket, the country’s newest cage league.
“We believe that for a league to be long term, at the end of the day, the teams have to make money,” Reyes said recently in the online Philippine Sportswriters Association forum.
“The league and the teams have to make money so everybody can have their jobs if there’s income,” he added.
Eleven teams are set to see action in the inaugural edition of the league, among them the Davao Tigers, San Juan Knights, Pasig-Sta. Lucia Realtors and Basilan, which are also playing in the MPBL.
Filbasket will kick off in the first week of October in a bubble at the Splendido Taal Country Club in Batangas.
Reyes, who was joined by veteran basketball team manager and organizer Buddy Encarnado in the online session, said the league will also help players who don’t have a source of income amid the dreaded COVID-19 pandemic.
“The fans are looking for real action, real games, with no biases,” Reyes said in the public sports program presented by San Miguel Corp., Go For Gold, Milo, Amelie Hotel Manila, Braska Restaurant, and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp., and powered by Smart and Upstream Media as official webcast partner.
“Our main goal is to develop the talents of the players, and for this inaugural tournament, to help them get their jobs back.”
Reyes said they are just waiting for quarantine restrictions in Batangas to go down.
“The teams are set already. The lineups are set,” he said. “We’re just waiting for the restrictions to ease down in our venue.”
