NBA: Pacers' postseason performance hopes to justify Manila preseason game ticket prices

With the Indiana Pacers pushing the Miami Heat to at least six games in the on-going Eastern Conference Finals, NBA Philippines Country Manager Carlo Singson is positive about the reception of the preseason game featuring Indiana and the Houston Rockets on October 10 at the Mall of Asia Arena. "Before the playoffs, the Pacers were a little bit under the radar. There weren't a lot of games [with the Pacers] showed on television," said Singson. "They didn't have big name superstars the way other teams did, but Paul George made the All-Star team. They actually have four All-Stars on their roster and they're taking the Heat to town here. "I read in social media that there are a lot of new [Filipino] fans of Paul George. He's one of the more exciting young players we have. By the time he gets to Manila, he will be a superstar," Singson added. The most affordable ticket will cost 550 pesos, while the premium seats will set fans back 32,300 pesos. In between, tickets are being sold for 27,700, 8,400, and 4,200 pesos. They will be available for sale starting on June 16, via SM Tickets. For comparison, courtside seats offered at resale price for game six of the Heat-Pacers series cost $6000 (around 253,000 pesos), while the most affordable spots are sold at $60 (around 2,500 pesos.) Singson clarified that there were a lot of factors considered in determining price points: "It's a collaborative process. [We considered] what ticket prices go for [in the Philippines]. We obviously have in mind our fans as well, and of course the cost of bringing the players over here is quite significant. Those were all taken into account." - AMD, GMA News