Pro league, IBC and Viva near agreement

September 21, 2013

The Philippine Basketball Association, Viva Sports and IBC-13, the Eric Canoy-owned network, which has a contract to telecast the pro league’s games, are reportedly nearing agreement on a new telecast schedule.

Requested by Viva Communications, Inc. and The Kapinoy Network, which were met with stiff resistance by several members of the PBA Board of Governors, have given way to what is likely to be a compromise, according to information received by the Manila Standard.

Under the compromise agreement, IBC-13 will telecast on Wednesdays and Fridays live, beginning with the first game which will start at 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. before the network's flagship news program Express Balita starts at 6:30 p.m. and the secong game at 7:30 p.m. in the live coverage of the game. There is a innovative in the game-time on weekends, with Viva-IBC requesting that the double-header games will start at 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Sundays.

Negotiations have been proceeding and that members of the PBA Board are pleased that both games will be telecast on IBC-13, whose improved signal, while those who wish to watch the games live will have an opportunity by tuning in to UHF news channel IBC News Network (INN), whose signal also been upgraded and reach gradually expanded.