PBA on ABC

*PBA on ABC*
PBA on ABC
Also known as	PBA on TV5
Genre	PBA game telecasts
Starring	various PBA on ABC/TV5 commentators
Country of origin	Philippines
Original languages	Filipino ; English
No. of episodes	1,062
Production
Executive producer	Bobby Barriero
Camera setup	Multiple-camera setup
Running time	150 minutes+
Production company	ABC/TV5 Sports
Original release
Network	ABC/TV5
Release	February 22, 2004 –; August 20, 2008
Related
	PBA on NBN/IBC (2003); PBA on Solar TV (2008–2011); PBA on One Sports (2011–present);

The PBA on ABC (later renamed as The PBA on TV5) was a branding for presentation of Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) games by the Associated Broadcasting Company. The PBA on ABC premiered on February 22, 2004, replacing the previous broadcaster of the games, National Broadcasting Network and Intercontinental Broadcasting Corporation (PBA on NBN/IBC).

History

Due to poor performance and disappointing ratings, the PBA disbanded a broadcasting consortium between the National Broadcasting Network and the Intercontinental Broadcasting Corporation after the 2003 season, and took bids on a new broadcast contract for the league. In January 2004, the PBA began a contract with the Associated Broadcasting Company to broadcast PBA games for one year, beating bids from Solar Sports and former Vintage Television owner Bobong Velez’s attempt to form GMA Network’s sports division. The new ABC operation picked up talent from the former NBN/IBC coverage, including Mico Halili, Quinito Henson, Paolo Trillo and Norman Black. Ed Picson was also hired by ABC, after a two-year hiatus from covering the PBA due to a fallout between him and Viva TV in 2002.

After the 2004-05 PBA Philippine Cup, the league and the network extended the contract for the 2005 Fiesta Conference. After the contract expired in 2005, despite a low amount of money offered, the league chose ABC over Solar Sports, who had a much bigger bid than the former. ABC and the PBA then signed a three-year deal that expired after the 2007-08 season.

Citing financial constraints, ABC backed out of bidding for a new contract for the 2008-09 season's PBA coverage. Solar Sports, through local network Radio Philippines Network (RPN), would the new broadcast partner of the PBA for the following season.

Even though the network would be dropping the PBA, ABC still rebranded their PBA coverage during their August 2008 relaunch as TV5 in the middle of the 2008 PBA Fiesta Conference Finals (which would also be the final games shown by the network). The final PBA game shown on ABC/TV5 was Game 7 of the Fiesta Conference finals between the Air21 Express and Barangay Ginebra Kings on August 20, 2008. Mico Halili and Jason Webb were the commentators for its last run.

Commentators

History

Commentators

Play-by-play

Color

Courtside reporters

Previous Play-by-Play

Previous Courtside Reporters

See also