Limpag: A promising league
EVER since the MBA died, there have been attempts to start similar community-based league but they were never successful for various reasons.
The closest that a league came to the success of the Metropolitan Basketball Association (MBA) was the Liga Pilipinas, but it also closed shop after just a few seasons. Among the reasons for these leagues folding up, aside from financial hardships, was the lack of originality. Though they said they never wanted to compete with the PBA, they were mere little versions of Asia’s oldest professional league.
This latest attempt, I believe, will not suffer the same fate because not only will it have grassroots connections, it is also backed by ABS-CBN Sports.
The Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League--note that its name doesn’t even connote a Manila-based presence--has just started with 10 teams but it is being envisioned to be as big as the NBA, with the top teams in both conferences competing for the title.
Unlike other leagues, the teams are required to have at least three truly homegrown players in their lineup, and that’s what will set it up apart. It won’t be just a contest for team owners with the deepest pockets, but forces them to get really connected with the community they are based in.
A project of Sen. Manny Pacquiao, the league hopes to expand to the Visayas and Mindanao next and I’m sure there are going to be a lot of interested team owners and LGUs who want to field a team. I, and I think many fans, too, have been critical of Manny’s various non-boxing sports ventures, but this is something that we can support.
Aside from homegrown talents, the league also envisions itself to be the stepping stone for players who want to hone their talents before getting a shot at the PBA. And of course, since we have a glut of basketball players who get cut from the PBA every year, the league will also welcome them.
Like the MBA of two decades ago, the MBL got a TV partner in ABS-CBN, and that’s going to be the crucial key for its success. The MBA, which, up to this day, still evokes fond memories from fans, was one of the best things to happen to Philippine sports since it introduced fans to a community-type competition at the highest level.