PBL

History of

Presented by: Group 5 (8-forgiveness)

 The PBL was formed on May 6, 1983, a brainchild of

History
San Miguel Corporation chairman Danding
Cojuangco, under its original name the Philippine
Amateur Basketball League (PABL).It was the
successor of the defunct Manila Industrial and
Commercial Athletic Association (MICAA), which
folded during the early-1980s. During the inaugural
PABL tournament, 37 teams divided into four
divisions from collegiate and commercial ranks
participated in the tournament that was played in the
historic Rizal Memorial Coliseum. De La Salle
University emerged champion in the league's dry-run.
 Philippine
Basketball League

Towards the end of 1983, 16 teams founded the PABL and the league held its first
official tourney, the Founder's Cup. Arellano University was the champion of the
tournament. During their second year in 1984, three PABL tournaments were held:
the Ambassador's Cup won by Development Bank of Rizal, the President's Cup and
the Invitationals, the two latter won by ESQ Marketing

In 1985, the PABL scored a big breakthrough. Faced with an economic crisis, the
league was able to get the sponsorship of San Miguel Corporation. Eighteen teams
joined the 1st SMC-sponsored Invitationals with ESQ Marketing winning its third
straight title against a strong Lagerlite crew. With the tremendous success of the
tournament, San Miguel again agreed to be the sole sponsor of the second PABL
conference that year, won by Army Jungle Fighters, dubbed as the "Challenge to
Champions", Sixteen teams saw action. The cast included 12 commercial teams and 4
collegiate squads especially the NCAA and UAAP champions, San Sebastian College
and University of the East.

 Philippine Basketball
League

In the 1990s, the league was renamed as the Philippine Basketball League under Andy Jao, who
would later return to the broadcasting panel of the PBA coverage on Vintage Sports. Jao's
replacement, Charlie Favis later adopted a new theme, calling the PBL as the "faster league".
Yeng Guiao replaced Favis, when Guiao left the coaching ranks. The league gained early success
with the dominance of the Tanduay Rhum Masters, the arrival of Eric Menk and Asi Taulava, and
the holding PBL games at the air-conditioned Makati Coliseum.

In 2000, former Vintage Sports commentator Chino Trinidad replaced Guiao, when the
commissioner resigned to coach Red Bull in the Philippine Basketball Association, the country's
premier professional basketball league. The PBL's popularity grew, inviting commercial teams
bannered by single collegiate teams, and the league also gained a stable broadcast partner in
Studio 23 (now S+A). In 2007, PBL broke away from Studio 23 and signed an agreement with
cable channel Basketball TV to broadcast the games. Chino Trinidad announced in March 2010
that he would be retiring as commissioner of the PBL and said he would be focusing his career as
correspondent of GMA Network.
Philippine Basketball League
Through an agreement between the PBL and the Liga Pilipinas, a joint tournament was held in June 2010. The
agreement was made as dry-run of a proposed "Developmental League", which was initiated by the Philippine
Basketball Association, just like NBA's D-League. The tournament was to be named "Tournament of the
Philippines". Tournament of the Philippines started June 9, 2010, and used the Liga Pilipinas' home-and-away leg
format with 9 teams involved, 3 from the PBL and 6 from Liga Pilipinas. M.Lhuillier Kwarta Padala-Cebu Ninos
became the 1st (and last) TOP champions by defeating Misamis Oriental Meteors, 3–2. After the tournament,
merger talks between the 2 leagues went sour and were put off for good. The Philippine Basketball Association
then announced that they would organize instead the "PBA Developmental League", or the PBA D-League, on
their own after merger talks between PBL and Liga Pilipinas failed.

In 2011, the PBL's board of governors named Nolan Bernardino, son of former PBA commissioner Emilio "Jun"
Bernardino, as the new PBL commissioner, while Sports Vision, the company behind the success of Shakey's V-
League, was named as the group that would handle PBL's day-to-day operations. However, the league
experienced great difficulty finding six teams for the 2011 opening tournament when four of the teams that had
earlier confirmed their participation jumped ship to the PBA D-League, namely Pharex, Agri Nurture-FCA, Cafe
France and Cobra Energy Drink. PBL Commissioner Nolan Bernardino said he had already been informed of the
matter and that he respected the transferring teams' decisions. This resulted in the PBL being disbanded.
 Does PBL still exist?

The the
In 2011, opening
PBL's was setoffor
board March 12,
governors 2011Nolan
named but not after several
Bernardino, son
postponements
of former due to various
PBA commissioner reasons.
Emilio "Jun" While five
Bernardino, teams
as the new had
PBL
already committed
commissioner, while Sportsto play, the
Vision, thefailure
companyto find a sixth
behind member
the success
to ensure
of Shakey's a viablewas
V-League, and credible
named as thetournament
group thatwas thehandle
would final
straw
PBL's that prompted
day-to-day fourHowever,
operations. of the teams to take
the league their games to
experienced
great difficulty finding six teams otherforvenues.
the 2011 opening tournament
whenDefinitely,
four of the it will be that
teams hardhad
at first
earliertoconfirmed
accept the fact
their that a 28-
participation
year
jumped oldtoinstitution
ship is no more.
the PBA D-League, The PBL
namely has become
Pharex, part of
Agri Nurture-
FCA,the lives
Cafe of generations
France of basketball
and Cobra Energy Drink. PBLfans. Perhaps, ifNolan
Commissioner the
timing said
Bernardino is right andalready
he had severalbeen
factors comeofinto
informed theplay,
matterthe PBL
and
that may just be resurrected
he respected in some
the transferring teams' form or another.
decisions. For now,
This resulted in
let us just relish the good memories.
the PBL being disbanded.
Thank you
for listening!