PBA History

The Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) was formed when nine teams left the now-defunct Manila Industrial and Commercial Athletic Association (MICAA), which was tightly controlled by the Basketball Association of the Philippines (BAP), the country's FIBA-recognized national governing body at the time. While the BAP controlled the MICAA, the league was de jure amateur, with players only receiving allowances. This is similar to what other countries have done to avoid the amateur restriction and compete in FIBA-sanctioned games such as the Olympics. MICAA team owners are upset that BAP, then managed by Gonzalo "Lito" Puyat, is taking their players to join the national squad without first informing them.

The Carrier Weathermakers, Crispa Redmanizers, Mariwasa-Noritake Porcelainmakers, Presto Ice Cream, Royal Tru-Orange, Seven-Up Uncolas, Tanduay Distillery, Toyota Comets, and U/Tex Weavers are among the teams that have left the MICAA. Leopoldo Prieto, the Philippines' coach at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics, was named the league's first commissioner, and Emerson Coseteng of Mariwasa-Noritake was named the league's first president of the Board of Governors. On April 9, 1975, the Araneta Coliseum hosted the opening game of the league, which featured Mariwasa-Noritake and Concepcion Carrier.

Jaworski and Ginebra San Miguel were the league's most popular team throughout the mid to late 1980s due to their "never say die" attitude. The Tanduay Rhum Masters and Jaworski's then-rival Fernandez were fierce rivals, as were Purefoods Corporation and players Alvin Patrimonio, Jerry Codiera, Jojo Lastimosa, and Fernandez.

Ginebra and Shell formed a heated rivalry in the early 1990s, which includes Ginebra's walkout in the 1990 finals against Shell and the team's stunning comeback from a 3-1 deficit to beat Shell in the 1991 First Conference. Patrimonio, Allan Caidic, and a slew of other players emerged as the league's main draw.

When the league opted to start the season in October rather than January in 2004, it made significant schedule modifications. The league's decision to start the season later allowed it to accommodate international events conducted from June to September, as well as mesh better with college basketball's NCAA and UAAP seasons, which run from June to October. The league also decreased the number of conferences from three to two, calling the All-Filipino Cup the Philippine Cup and establishing the Fiesta Conference, a new import-laden event.

To accommodate these adjustments, the 2004 PBA Fiesta Conference, which was won by the Barangay Ginebra Kings, was held from February to July. The league also started holding the annual All-Star weekend in the provinces, alternating between Luzon and Visayas/Mindanao each year.

On May 19, 2013, the third game of the PBA Commissioner's Cup Finals between the Alaska Aces and the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel broke the all-time basketball attendance record of 23,436 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, breaking the previous record of 23,108 set 11 days earlier by the semifinals series doubleheader between Alaska vs. San Mig Coffee and Barangay Ginebra vs. Talk 'N Text. The seventh game of the 2013-14 PBA Philippine Cup Semifinals series between Barangay Ginebra San Miguel and San Mig Super Coffee Mixers set an all-time basketball attendance record of 24,883 on February 12, 2014.



Ang Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) ay nabuo nang mga siyam na koponan ay umalis sa dati nang Manila Industrial and Commercial Athletic Association (MICAA), na mahigpit na kontrolado ng Basketball Association of the Philippines (BAP), ang kinikilalang pambansang tagapangasiwa ng FIBA sa bansa sa panahong iyon. Samantalang kontrolado ng BAP ang MICAA, ito ay de jure amateur, kung saan ang mga manlalaro ay tumatanggap lamang ng allowances. Ito ay katulad ng ginagawa ng ibang bansa upang maiwasan ang amateur restriction at makapag-compete sa FIBA-sanctioned na mga laro tulad ng Olympics. Galit ang mga may-ari ng koponan sa MICAA dahil kinukuha ng BAP, na noon ay pinamumunuan ni Gonzalo "Lito" Puyat, ang kanilang mga manlalaro upang sumali sa national squad nang hindi man lang sila inaabisuhan.

Ang Carrier Weathermakers, Crispa Redmanizers, Mariwasa-Noritake Porcelainmakers, Presto Ice Cream, Royal Tru-Orange, Seven-Up Uncolas, Tanduay Distillery, Toyota Comets, at U/Tex Weavers ay ilan sa mga koponan na umalis sa MICAA. Si Leopoldo Prieto, ang coach ng Pilipinas sa 1956 Melbourne Olympics, ay itinalaga bilang kauna-unahang commissioner ng liga, at si Emerson Coseteng ng Mariwasa-Noritake naman ay naging kauna-unahang presidente ng Board of Governors. Noong April 9, 1975, ang Araneta Coliseum ang naging venue para sa opening game ng liga, kung saan naglaban ang Mariwasa-Noritake at Concepcion Carrier.

Ang Jaworski at Ginebra San Miguel ang naging pinakasikat na koponan ng liga mula sa gitna hanggang dulo ng dekada '80 dahil sa kanilang "never say die" attitude. Ang Tanduay Rhum Masters at ang dating kaaway ni Jaworski na si Fernandez ay naging mainit na magka-kumpetisyon, gayundin ang Purefoods Corporation at ang mga manlalarong sina Alvin Patrimonio, Jerry Codiera, Jojo Lastimosa, at Fernandez.

Noong maaga pa lamang sa dekada ng 1990, nabuo ang mainit na rivalry sa pagitan ng Ginebra at Shell, na kinabibilangan ng walkout ng Ginebra sa 1990 finals laban sa Shell at ang kanilang nakakabighaning pagbabalik mula sa 3-1 na kalamangan para talunin ang Shell sa 1991 First Conference. Si Patrimonio, Allan Caidic, at marami pang ibang manlalaro ang nagsilbing pangunahing dahilan ng kaguluhan sa liga.

Nang magpasya ang liga na simulan ang season sa Oktubre kumpara sa Enero noong 2004, nagawa nila ang malaking pagbabago sa schedule. Ang desisyon ng liga na mag-umpisang mas huli sa season ay nagbigay sa kanila ng pagkakataon na mag-accommodate ng mga international events na ginaganap mula Hunyo hanggang Setyembre, at mas maayos din ang pagkakasunud-sunod sa mga season ng college basketball ng NCAA at UAAP na tumatakbo mula Hunyo hanggang Oktubre. Binawasan din ng liga ang bilang ng conferences mula sa tatlo hanggang dalawa, at tinawag ang All-Filipino Cup bilang Philippine Cup at nagtatag ng Fiesta Conference, isang bagong import-laden event.

Upang mag-accommodate ng mga pagbabago, ginanap ang 2004 PBA Fiesta Conference, na napanalunan ng Barangay Ginebra Kings, mula Pebrero hanggang Hulyo. Sinimulan din ng liga na gawin ang taunang All-Star weekend sa mga probinsya, na nagpapalitan sa pagitan ng Luzon at Visayas/Mindanao kada taon.

Noong Mayo 19, 2013, binasag ng third game ng PBA Commissioner's Cup Finals sa pagitan ng Alaska Aces at Barangay Ginebra San Miguel ang all-time basketball attendance record na 23,436 sa Smart Araneta Coliseum, na nagtatalo sa dating record na 23,108 na naitala 11 araw bago sa semifinals series doubleheader ng Alaska vs. San Mig Coffee at Barangay Ginebra vs. Talk 'N Text. Naitala din ang all-time basketball attendance record na 24,883 sa seventh game ng 2013-14 PBA Philippine Cup Semifinals series sa pagitan ng Barangay Ginebra San Miguel at San Mig Super Coffee Mixers noong Pebrero 12, 2014.

PBA