Pilipinas VisMin Super Cup Chief Operating Officer Rocky Chan said Monday, April 5, that instead of creating dissension in the local basketball community, officials from the MPBL should focus in providing help to players by allowing them to participate in both leagues.
Chan said that it was unfortunate that MPBL commissioner Kenneth Duremdes issued a letter announcing to its teams any team or player joining the VisMin Cup “shall be considered as professionals” by the MPBL.
That, according to Duremdes, would mean players hoping to play in the MPBL following a stint in the new pro league are considered ‘ex-pros’ – which only allows seven per team to sign and five to play during tournaments.
“It’s just so sad that they have that ruling. It’s unfortunate they have that rule,” said Chan in an interview Monday with Manila Bulletin.
“But that’s their prerogative, that’s their decision. But for me, this is no time for disputes… I mean, now we’re in a pandemic and this is not the time to argue or limitations for players.”
“We created this Pilipinas VisMin Super Cup because we want to help the players, and we want to provide for their livelihood. Now we’re about to start the season and we’re able to provide opportunities not just on the players but coaches, managers, utilities, even TV personnel,” he added.
As this developed, a team official from one of the VisMin squads said that they made an appeal to Duremdes as early as January regarding the said rule on ex-pro and to relax it for the players.
“When the league crafted that rule, it was meant for PBA players as ‘pros’ because they are elite players,” said the source who requested not to be named. “Who would have thought that there is a league during this pandemic that offers livelihood to players hoping to earn money for their families.”
The same source said the MPBL did not respond to their appeal, and that the ruling will not help players struggling during this health and economic crisis.
Under the Games and Amusements Board or GAB, VisMin Cup was granted professional status, which allowed them to operate in places where it has the Modified General Community Quarantine or MGCQ with measures to follow on health protocols.
The league, which is supported by Puma, will open April 9 with its Visayas leg in Cebu City.
The seven teams in the Visayas division include MJAS Zenith Talisay, KCS Computer Solutions Cebu City, ARQ Builders Lapu-Lapu City, Tubigon-Bohol, Suiquijor Mystics, Dumaguete Warriors and Tabogon Voyagers.
As for the Mindanao division, the teams are Zamboanga City, Zamboanga del Norte, Pagadian City, Sindangan City and Cagayan de Oro City, Basilan and General Santos City.
Chan clarified that they are not competing with the MPBL, as the mission of the VisMin Cup is to provide opportunities to earn particularly for players, mostly from the MPBL, which halted its operation March of 2020 when the country went on a lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
He also said that the decision to get the ‘pro’ status from GAB isn’t just to get clearance to operate, but more importantly, to have a sanctioning body for the league and players to be guided properly.
“Being pro has its advantages, like if there are disputes between players and teams, you can turn to GAB for guidance or maybe ruling. But for me when you talk about ‘pro’ that’s the PBA,” said Chan.
“But as I’ve mentioned, the bigger picture here is the players, they are sacrificing just to provide for their families. In this time of pandemic, now is the time to show kindness, not deny players to earn for a living.”