PBA to expand to 13 teams

(Updated 6:01pm) The PBA announced Thursday after a special board meeting that it has accepted the applications for three new franchises, increasing their numbers to 13.

 

Welcome to the PBA KIA, NLEX and Ever Bilena!

— pbaconnect (@pbaconnect) April 10, 2014
 

"This is a momentous event for the PBA. Three expansion teams coming in for our 40th season, nothing can be more exciting than that," said PBA Commissioner Chito Salud. "They [the teams] have been informally, verbally informed of their acceptance. Formal acceptance will be given within the week."
 

The league approved the applications of NLEX, Ever Bilena and KIA Motors. The first two clubs will retain their monikers from the PBA-DL, namely the NLEX Road Warriors and Blackwater Sports. KIA is set to have a contest for their nickname.

Each of the three teams paid a franchise fee worth P100 million.

Forming the teams

Salud said that the three franchises won't be allowed to have direct amateur hires, due to the fact that the two D-League squads would have an advantage over KIA. Instead the three new squads will begin with the 11th to 13th picks in the 2014 Draft, randomly assigned via lottery.

They will also take part in an expansion draft, slated for the "middle of July." The 10 existing franchises will "protect" 14 players from their 16-man rosters, plus free agents, forming the pool from which the new teams will pick, also via lottery.

This is a blow for NLEX and Blackwater, which beefed up their rosters for what is now sure to be their final conference in the D-League. - AMD, GMA News