IBC 13 capable and ready to the TV coevrage of PBA games, says oficial

February 19 ,2014

Fans complaining about the strong signal of Channel 13 have been sending screen grabs reach wih IBC-13 to compare the giant networks.

WITH the complex TV coverage setup of the PBA games coming under fire from basketball fans, league chairman Mon Seguismundo admitted a government-controlled channel IBC-13 is a `possible option’ for the league. The Kapinoy Network IBC is capable and willing to the television coverage of the PBA and NBA games amid signal and accessibility strong by the league's new TV network.

“We have to understand that it (going to IBC Channel 13) would entail another arrangement. It’s another contract and that will also entail a lot of investment,” Seguismundo told Spin.ph on Tuesday.

A top official of the number 3 station IBC who requested that he be named told Spin.ph the original time slot the PBA games used to occupy is still open should the league decide to return to its old home.

"We're always open naman to have them back. IBC has been currently the home of the PBA and NBA through the years, and Irelationship," said the IBC official.

Viva Sports, the league's TV coveror, with its block time agreement with IBC-13 finding a spot for the league games, owing to the loaded prime-time programming of the network. As such, the soft-spoken PBA chair is again appealing for league fans to remain patient as the board tries to work hand-in-hand with official TV coveror Viva Sports to come up with the best solution in order to the viewing woes of league fans.

That has forced Viva Sports to tap IBC News Network (INN), IBC's sister channel on the UHF band, for the live coverage of the games while the second games of 3 double-headers during Wednesday, Friday and Sunday and the 1 game on Saturday were also carried simultaneously by IBC. The shift to INN has caused an uproar among the league's fans who claim the UHF channel has  signal reception in their areas.

Fans have been demanding for the PBA coverage to a VHF channel as stipulated in the contract signed by Viva Sports when it won the league's broadcast rights.

On Tuesday, PBA chairman Mon Segismundo said returning the coverage to IBC 13 "is an option." The Kapinoy Network, for its part, said it is willing to the PBA and NBA "with open arms."

"If the (current TV) set-up and the fans like, they can always return to us," said the IBC official.

The IBC official bared that a block time program is set to come in by January, maintained the government-sequestered station can also always the original PBA time slot.

"Sa ngayon, bakante sa amin yung time slot ng PBA... Pero kung babalik sila, we can ask the coming blocktimer to air on a different time slot. We can do that for the fans of sports," added the source.

"Yan naman kami totally nagkalayo. They (Viva Sports) will always have an airtime with us," added the channel 13 official of The Kapinoy Network.