PBA All Star Friday: Some Stars, No Fans

The PBA All Star Festivities opened with a whimper, yesterday Friday, with the SMART Araneta Coliseum not even being close to a third of being full. And to think that this is the first time after seven years that the nation’s capital was hosting the prestigious annual showcase.

So what went wrong?

As a marketing professional, allow us to share some insight since this is part of what we do when we are not busy sharing our thoughts on the local basketball front.

First, there was simply no buzz generated. We honestly didn’t know about the PBA All Stars, or the voting process, until only recently. There should’ve been a build-up: a long one at that. We did not see the hosts, the wannabe comedians at halftime, plugging the PBA All Star Game, or even the voting, enough in the last few weeks. There was simply no effort on that front. They could have plugged the PBA All Star candidates during pre and post games. They could’ve kept a live update of the votes. They could’ve done a hundred new and old things to get the word out.

You know when they officially announced it?

July. The PBA held a press conference in July for an event slated in August; which they probably thought was enough of a marketing effort to guarantee a sold out coliseum.

Unfortunately, they have been greatly and grossly misinformed.

Or, that they were thinking that this is the 90s and a simple press conference could answer everything.

No, not in today’s day and age. You hold a press conference today, with little to no follow-up, and chances are there’s about a hundred (thousand even) events happening and will be talked about on social media in the next few hours that will bury your event.

So there’s the first and second problems: marketing and scheduling; and the lack of it.

As far as the format is concerned, it followed the traditional set-up: Obstacle course, Three-point shoot-out, Slam Dunk and a throwaway/ giveaway exhibition game.

The first three were okay.

The last one, the exhibition game, was pointless.

It was a treat to see some of the PBA Hall of Famers: Alvin Patrimonio, Noli Locsin, Johnny Abarrientos and Ronnie Magsanoc, to name a few. But to have them play with guys who are not even remotely popular with the fans, doesn’t really help. Sure, these are young PBA names, but no one really cares. No one is going to pay thousands to see whichever of the Semerads play with or against Locsin and Patrimonio in the paint. There is just no story there. No one wants to see an old Abarrientos vs a big, strong Fil-Am like Maverick Ahanmisi.

The social media driven “Young Once vs Young Ones” format is sexier and had more meat to it than this game which also saw Manny Pacquiao basically shooting to his heart’s content with his defender not really caring at all.

Our suggestion, aside from a longer marketing time, is to keep the following: Obstacle course, 3 point shootout, Slam Dunk contest and the main All Star Game.

For the exhibition match, we suggest:

- PBA Women’s 3 on 3 All Stars
- PBA D-League All Stars vs PBA Rookies/Sophomores/Juniors All Stars
- Celebrity, charity game with PBA stars + TV/ movie stars

Some folks claim that it is also because the event was held in Manila: a fanbase that sees the PBA stars on a regular basis both in and out of the hardcourt. So there was no novelty in the whole thing.

Uh, no. That is not an excuse. Then you are defending the PBA All Star festivities by saying that those in the South are cashcows. That all the PBA needs to do to make a buck is bring their annual showcases to the provinces all the time, F the capital, because the money is there.

Same format, different audience.

Okay, that will work. Definitely. But in the long run, even those with the benefit of cable television, Internet and social media who live in Visayas and Mindanao will not be sold on the product.

The PBA needs to keep evolving. They should try different things. Holding the PBA ASG in Manila would've been a great testing ground for new and exciting things because the fans here know the game and the players quite well. The FIBA 3x3 format should've been considered for the PBA ASG. Wouldn't it have been fun to see a team of Calvin Abueva, Ping Exciminiano and Vic Manuel go up against Terrence Romeo, Stanley Pringle and maybe Jay Washington? Or your favorite Ginebra trio taking on the Star trio of James Yap, PJ Simon and Marc Pingris?

That would've been epic.

O kung gusto niyo talaga humakot, maglagay kayo ng ring sa court tapos open-house sparring si Senator/coach Manny Pacquiao.

Hopefully, the fans show more support and come out tomorrow for the main game.