REYNALD MAGALLON

Converge owner Dennis Uy denied any allegations that his camp is forming a breakaway basketball league, stressing that his company is not in the business of basketball.

In a statement on Tuesday, May 30, Uy stressed that Converge is not interested in participating in such activities and that the team joined the PBA with the intention of bringing excitement and entertainment to basketball fans across the country and as well as marketing its digital connectivity – the company’s main business.

This came after reports surfaced that they are trying to lure three independent teams to form a new league since PBA is becoming a duopoly of the SMC and MVP groups.

“We joined the PBA with the sincere intention of connecting with more Filipino homes and serving the nation with our reliable and affordable internet services,” said Uy.

“We believe that having a PBA basketball team would bring us closer to more Filipino homes that we want to serve. We are aiming to become a household name when it comes to world-class connectivity,” he stressed.

Converge also attempted to appoint Pampanga governor Dennis “Delta” Pineda, but was thumbed down by the PBA Board – a move Uy has vocally expressed his disappointment.

“I deeply regret the decision of the PBA Board to decline our appointment of Pampanga Governor Delta Pineda as our representative to the Board of Governors,” said Uy.

“We truly believe that his presence at the PBA Board will only bring more energy and dynamism to the PBA and help the league re-energize its popularity among sports fans,” he added.

He also added that the “dampening luster” of the league could be mirrored to the declining live gates, with the UAAP getting more ticket sales, and new talents snubbing the PBA draft to play overseas.

The FiberXers top honcho also called for a level playing field in the PBA, which according to him, has been on a decline due to a the duopoly of the SMC and MVP groups.

“It’s about time that we level the playing field at the PBA. Fairness is a core virtue of sportsmanship. We need to respect our viewers – the Filipino basketball fans. We should give them the sports entertainment that they deserve,” Uy said.

But during the PBA’s annual planning sessions in Paris, France, it announced that the league has risen through the pandemic with a record income of more or less P200 million last season.

Uy’s statement was deemed another fuel to the already volative situation.