IF plans push through, the PBA is set to take its act to China.
A compact entourage led by Commissioner Willie Marcial and Board Chairman Ricky Vargas will be leaving for Changsha this Tuesday for a round of discussion on the feasibility of airing PBA games in China.
League officials will be meeting Mo Yanfei, president of the Hunan World Research Internet Company Limited.
The viability of having the PBA games in China couldn't have come at a better time especially following the country's fallout with the NBA after the controversial tweet regarding Hong Kong by Houston Rockets team manager Daryl Morey.
Also with the PBA delegation are Barangay Ginebra board representative Alfrancis Chua, league marketing head Gelo Serrano, and Bong Sta. Maria of Philippine Global Network, which is a joint subsidiary of TV5 Network Inc. and the Philippine Long Distance Company.
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If ever a deal would be struck, it will be a historic one for the pro league considered as the pioneer in Asian basketball.
"Maganda ito kung sakali dahil first time na mangyayari sa Philippine sports na mayroong channel na make-carry ng (PBA) games sa China," said Marcial.
"At the same time, magiging closer ang liga sa mga Pilipino na nasa China at yung mga Chinese naman, makikita rin yung brand ng basketball sa Pilipinas."
The league commissioner also mentioned about discussing the possibility of holding an official game in China.
Marcial said the PBA has invited East Asia League CEO Matt Beyer to join them during the meeting and talk about the likelihood of the PBA personally taking its brand of basketball in the country.
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Beyer, an American based in Beijing, has previously worked with the league when he invited teams San Miguel, TnT Katropa, and Blackwater to see action in the Terrific 12 tournament in Macau last month.
Plans of staging a game in China comes in the heels of the league's successful hosting of back-to-back games in Dubai recently featuring Barangay Ginebra, San Miguel, and NLEX.
