PBA reaps gains from Aguilar, Arboleda controversies

The Japeth Aguilar controversy and the Wynne Arboleda incident may have further stirred interest into the 35th season of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). It’s only been a week into the KFC-Philippine Cup and yet Asia’s pioneer professional league already recorded major turnarounds in both gate receipts and attendance.

Figures made available showed a 55.78 percent increase in sales during the Oct. 11 opener, which also hit a remarkable 108.45 percent increase in attendance compared to the same period of last year’s Philippine Cup. The astounding records were made on a week the 6-foot-9 Aguilar was inexplicably shipped by Burger King in a three-way trade that resulted in the former Western Kentucky University stalwart’s inclusion in the RP-Smart Gilas team, and Arboleda being banned for the entire season following an attack on a fan at ringside. Fans’ interest on Aguilar added curiosity to the lone opening game between the Whopper and the Purefoods Giants, which recorded sales of P988,730, up from last year’s opener of P634,687. Attendance during the match was pegged at 7,594, surpassing the 3,643 that showed up when the 2008-09 Philippine Cup kicked off. The TJ Giants won the lone opening game, 93-80, marking the first and last time Aguilar, drafted as the top rookie pick of the year, donned a Whopper uniform. After a week of action in the All-Filipino tournament, the league posted sales of P2,850,665, surpassing the P1,942,694 Asia’s first play for pay league earned during the same stretch last season. The figures showed a 46.74 percent increase in sales for the entire playing week. Likewise, attendance improved to 28,133 from 15,086 – a tremendous increase of 86.52 percent. A banner crowd at the Araneta Coliseum showed up for the rematch of last year’s Fiesta Cup protagonists San Miguel and Barangay Ginebra and the Sunday encounter between the Kings and the Purefoods Giants. So far, average attendance per game is at 7,035, an 86.52 percent turnaround from the 3.772 recorded last year. “We’re very thankful and grateful to all the basketball fans who continue to support your PBA come hell or high water," said PBA commissioner Sonny Barrios. “In return we promise to provide with exiting and thrilling games throughout that year." - GMANews.TV