Barako Bull is out while Smart Gilas Team Pilipinas is in.

The formation of PBA Developmental League will push through while the proposed PBA coliseum is still up in the air.

And most important to the PBA team owners, they decided to keep the telecast of PBA games on VHF (very high frequency) channel.

The pro league made these decisions in an important conference at the Edsa Shangri-La Plaza Hotel in Mandaluyong City Tuesday.

The day started with a meeting among the PBA governors followed by the landmark confab among the PBA team owners – giants in Philippine business.

The team owners approved Barako Bull’s application for a leave of absence and Smart Gilas’
takeover in the second conference.

Participation by the national training team in the third conference is optional.

The esteemed gentlemen also decided that the league will stick with a VHF channel as TV coveror and directed commissioner Chito Salud to make his recommendation on the proposed PBA coliseum in three months.

“To me the question is whether it’s financially worth it,” said Salud.

Everyone sounded satisfied with the meeting.

“It was cordial, productive and informative,” said Salud.

“We had expectations and I was not disappointed,” said Smart-PLDT chairman Manny V. Pangilinan, attending the meeting as PBA team owner and president of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas.

The league Board, in its own meeting earlier in the day, gave the nod on the PBA D-League.

The league commissioner said he would talk with PBL clubs and ask if they would like to join the
D-League. But regardless of what happens in the meeting, Salud said they would push through with the D-League launch in March.

As in the case of the Northern Consolidated Cement team in the 80s, Smart Gilas was allowed to vie for the championship in the second conference which runs for three months starting Feb. 18.

In the league’s return to three-conference format, the second conference will again be known as the Commissioners Cup and the third conference the Governors Cup.

Barako Bull was the last team to rule the Commissioner’s Cup in 2005. It won’t be able to
defend the crown with its leave.

Smart Gilas takes Barako’s slot but will play according to PBA rules, limited to a 14-man roster.
SBP vice chairman Ricky Vargas presented a 17-man lineup including new training pool prospects Kiefer Ravena, Amer Baser, Junmar Fajardo and Bobby Ray Parks.

Salud said 11 teams might play in the Governors Cup, depending on whether Barako is ready to return and on Smart Gilas’ schedule.

All team owners were present in the meeting except Barako Bull’s George Chua.

The Barako players will be put on a dispersal draft, giving them the chance to play for the other
teams in the second conference. They return to their mother team later.

During its leave, the Barako team won’t have a share in the league’s gate receipts.

As expected, the team owners put more attention on the TV coverage.

“I was given specific directive that the next coveror would be able to promote PBA the best way
to reach younger base of fans,” said Salud.

“TV is the most important because it brings the PBA games to the living room. We’ll do with
VHF; we have to be practical,” said Alaska Milk owner Wilfred Steven Uytengsu.

VHF (Very High Frequency) counts free channels like ABS-CBN 2, NBN-4, TV-5, GMA-7, RPN-9 and IBC-13. The PBA practically closed its door on Studio-23 and QTV-11 as solo coveror but kept the floor open for airing on dual platforms.

Solar TV’s contract as exclusive TV coveror of the PBA expires at the end of the current season.
It has informed the PBA it won’t seek a contract extension.