How ABS-CBN Can Improve its NBA Coverage
THE NBA season is over and ABS-CBN has just concluded another year of being the league's free TV partner.
As expected, many NBA fans in the Philippines had the same complaints in terms of the way the games were presented on ABS-CBN 2 with the Tagalog commentary of Boom Gonzales, TJ Manotoc, Benjie Paras and Ronnie Magsanoc.
Paras' breakfast jokes and the use of the word "Papa Bear" were the biggest criticisms viewers had towards the Channel 2 games which were aired on Saturday mornings.
At least, the coverage on ABS-CBN's sister channel S+A still used the American commentators like Mike Breen, Jeff Van Gundy and Mark Jackson so no one can complain, really.
This past season, however, ABS-CBN clearly showed some "cost-cutting measures" in its NBA coverage.
During the All-Star Game, the network didn't send Gonzales and Manotoc to cover the game live and instead, former Ateneo volleyball player Gretchen Ho, who is a morning show host back there, was tapped to report on the All-Star festivities from Los Angeles for ABS-CBN's news platforms.
And during the last finals, only Manotoc was sent to report on the games live from Cleveland and Oakland while Gonzales, Paras, Magsanoc and Mico Halili did their commentary from inside the ABS-CBN studios in Quezon City with their voices replacing the commentary of Breen, Jackson and Van Gundy.
As usual, there were also complaints during the Eastern Conference Finals on Channel 2 because of the games being shown "via satellite" which means slightly delayed. Obviously, ABS-CBN made the move to give way to its other shows like Umagang Kay Ganda, Magandang Buhay and its Sunday morning cartoons.
And in the last finals, Channel 2 didn't even bother to show the post-game coverage to give way to its daily soap opera starring Robin Padilla and Jodi Sta. Maria.
Next season will be the last season for ABS-CBN as the NBA's free TV partner under its existing contract with the league with Solar Entertainment (owners of BTV and NBA Premium) helping out as blocktimer. Here are some ways for ABS-CBN to improve its coverage before the contract expires in June 2019.
1. Air more games live. It's a known fact that ABS-CBN's programming is mostly centered on its daily soap operas which are big moneymakers. But the network's president Carlo Katigbak should realize that soap operas can sometimes drag on for too long and viewers want a respite from those tiring plots. NBA games are the perfect way for viewers to take their heads off those teleseryes and enjoy world-class basketball action.
2. Get more sensible commentators. If ABS-CBN insists on its Tagalog commentary for its Channel 2 games, the network should hire sportscasters who have better knowledge on the NBA like Quinito Henson and 'Andy Jao. Both of them had experience covering the NBA Finals live when the league was still under another free TV network but their current contracts with ESPN5 and the PBA would not allow them to work for ABS-CBN which made a bid for the PBA TV rights twice only to lose out in the end. That's a clear case of crab mentality in the Philippines unlike here in the US where the NBA TV rights are shared between ESPN/ABC and TNT/NBA TV.
In fairness, Paras and Magsanoc do have the experience as players and they have the knowledge on the game. But they treat the NBA as like they were hosting a comedy talk show with all those jokes they say on the air. It can't be denied that Paras dabbled into showbiz after his PBA playing days ended which is why he is using his showbiz experience in his NBA commentary. Come on Benjie, Jeff Van Gundy and Mark Jackson will surely eat you alive because they talk more sense than you.
Gonzales and Manotoc are also very good as anchor and analyst but their biggest criticism according to many viewers is their tendency to be biased towards LeBron James especially when a Cavaliers game is shown on Channel 2. As I posted before, the Cavs have a strong Filipino following because of James and Fil-Am Jordan Clarkson which is why many of their games get most of the Saturday airtime.
Sev Sarmenta, Henson and Jao are better than Gonzales and Manotoc but as I said, the first three are under contract with the PBA and ESPN5.
Using Paras and Magsanoc is a good way for ABS-CBN to attract more masa viewers to watch the NBA since they know how to communicate with viewers who can't afford cable TV. But please, minimize the jokes.
3. Air more weekend games during the regular season on Channel 2. As I have posted many times before, ABS-CBN has only Saturdays for its Channel 2 games while on other days, the games are on S+A. The best solution is for Channel 2 to air the weekend games while S+A should air the Friday and Monday games.
Sunday games for Channel 2 are a better alternative to those kiddie movies dubbed in Tagalog. The best schedule for ABS-CBN on Sundays next season should be like this:
6 am SUNDAY MASS
7 am SALAMAT DOK
7:30 am CARTOONS
8:30 am MATANGLAWIN
9 am NBA
11:45 am ASAP
If ABS-CBN should schedule another special on the Sunday morning time slot like Pinoy Pride Boxing, a beauty pageant, an awards special or the monthly G Diaries of former Environment Secretary Gina Lopez, air it on the 3:30 pm time slot after Banana Sundae or on Sunday's Best after Gandang Gabi Vice. ABS-CBN should remove Rated K, Wansapanataym or at least one of their Sunday reality shows so that Sunday's Best can come in earlier.
ABS-CBN should also move Banana Sundae to a late time slot since the jokes there are too sexy for kids to watch on a Sunday afternoon, aside from the sexy dance numbers in the opening by Ritz Azul and their guests like Ella Cruz and Yassi Pressman.
And if an NBA game on Sundays goes overtime, ASAP should give way and sacrifice its airtime to accommodate the game's ending. ASAP is too long as a variety show and its musical numbers are just the same every week. ASAP is filled with too many young stars who don't know how to sing and dance and their singers like Martin Nievera, Jed Madela and company tend to belt too much which can be irritating to the ears.
If ABS-CBN doesn't make those improvements, there is a strong chance that Solar may consider ESPN5 as its new free TV partner starting in 2020. ESPN airs some NBA games here in the US so some of those games can be aired on ESPN5 while the TNT/NBA TV games can be aired on ABS-CBN and S+A, as well as the games aired on the local NBA markets here in the US.
Let's see if ABS-CBN can put up a better NBA telecast when the new season begins later this year.
As expected, many NBA fans in the Philippines had the same complaints in terms of the way the games were presented on ABS-CBN 2 with the Tagalog commentary of Boom Gonzales, TJ Manotoc, Benjie Paras and Ronnie Magsanoc.
Paras' breakfast jokes and the use of the word "Papa Bear" were the biggest criticisms viewers had towards the Channel 2 games which were aired on Saturday mornings.
At least, the coverage on ABS-CBN's sister channel S+A still used the American commentators like Mike Breen, Jeff Van Gundy and Mark Jackson so no one can complain, really.
This past season, however, ABS-CBN clearly showed some "cost-cutting measures" in its NBA coverage.
During the All-Star Game, the network didn't send Gonzales and Manotoc to cover the game live and instead, former Ateneo volleyball player Gretchen Ho, who is a morning show host back there, was tapped to report on the All-Star festivities from Los Angeles for ABS-CBN's news platforms.
And during the last finals, only Manotoc was sent to report on the games live from Cleveland and Oakland while Gonzales, Paras, Magsanoc and Mico Halili did their commentary from inside the ABS-CBN studios in Quezon City with their voices replacing the commentary of Breen, Jackson and Van Gundy.
As usual, there were also complaints during the Eastern Conference Finals on Channel 2 because of the games being shown "via satellite" which means slightly delayed. Obviously, ABS-CBN made the move to give way to its other shows like Umagang Kay Ganda, Magandang Buhay and its Sunday morning cartoons.
And in the last finals, Channel 2 didn't even bother to show the post-game coverage to give way to its daily soap opera starring Robin Padilla and Jodi Sta. Maria.
Next season will be the last season for ABS-CBN as the NBA's free TV partner under its existing contract with the league with Solar Entertainment (owners of BTV and NBA Premium) helping out as blocktimer. Here are some ways for ABS-CBN to improve its coverage before the contract expires in June 2019.
1. Air more games live. It's a known fact that ABS-CBN's programming is mostly centered on its daily soap operas which are big moneymakers. But the network's president Carlo Katigbak should realize that soap operas can sometimes drag on for too long and viewers want a respite from those tiring plots. NBA games are the perfect way for viewers to take their heads off those teleseryes and enjoy world-class basketball action.
2. Get more sensible commentators. If ABS-CBN insists on its Tagalog commentary for its Channel 2 games, the network should hire sportscasters who have better knowledge on the NBA like Quinito Henson and 'Andy Jao. Both of them had experience covering the NBA Finals live when the league was still under another free TV network but their current contracts with ESPN5 and the PBA would not allow them to work for ABS-CBN which made a bid for the PBA TV rights twice only to lose out in the end. That's a clear case of crab mentality in the Philippines unlike here in the US where the NBA TV rights are shared between ESPN/ABC and TNT/NBA TV.
In fairness, Paras and Magsanoc do have the experience as players and they have the knowledge on the game. But they treat the NBA as like they were hosting a comedy talk show with all those jokes they say on the air. It can't be denied that Paras dabbled into showbiz after his PBA playing days ended which is why he is using his showbiz experience in his NBA commentary. Come on Benjie, Jeff Van Gundy and Mark Jackson will surely eat you alive because they talk more sense than you.
Gonzales and Manotoc are also very good as anchor and analyst but their biggest criticism according to many viewers is their tendency to be biased towards LeBron James especially when a Cavaliers game is shown on Channel 2. As I posted before, the Cavs have a strong Filipino following because of James and Fil-Am Jordan Clarkson which is why many of their games get most of the Saturday airtime.
Sev Sarmenta, Henson and Jao are better than Gonzales and Manotoc but as I said, the first three are under contract with the PBA and ESPN5.
Using Paras and Magsanoc is a good way for ABS-CBN to attract more masa viewers to watch the NBA since they know how to communicate with viewers who can't afford cable TV. But please, minimize the jokes.
3. Air more weekend games during the regular season on Channel 2. As I have posted many times before, ABS-CBN has only Saturdays for its Channel 2 games while on other days, the games are on S+A. The best solution is for Channel 2 to air the weekend games while S+A should air the Friday and Monday games.
Sunday games for Channel 2 are a better alternative to those kiddie movies dubbed in Tagalog. The best schedule for ABS-CBN on Sundays next season should be like this:
6 am SUNDAY MASS
7 am SALAMAT DOK
7:30 am CARTOONS
8:30 am MATANGLAWIN
9 am NBA
11:45 am ASAP
If ABS-CBN should schedule another special on the Sunday morning time slot like Pinoy Pride Boxing, a beauty pageant, an awards special or the monthly G Diaries of former Environment Secretary Gina Lopez, air it on the 3:30 pm time slot after Banana Sundae or on Sunday's Best after Gandang Gabi Vice. ABS-CBN should remove Rated K, Wansapanataym or at least one of their Sunday reality shows so that Sunday's Best can come in earlier.
ABS-CBN should also move Banana Sundae to a late time slot since the jokes there are too sexy for kids to watch on a Sunday afternoon, aside from the sexy dance numbers in the opening by Ritz Azul and their guests like Ella Cruz and Yassi Pressman.
And if an NBA game on Sundays goes overtime, ASAP should give way and sacrifice its airtime to accommodate the game's ending. ASAP is too long as a variety show and its musical numbers are just the same every week. ASAP is filled with too many young stars who don't know how to sing and dance and their singers like Martin Nievera, Jed Madela and company tend to belt too much which can be irritating to the ears.
If ABS-CBN doesn't make those improvements, there is a strong chance that Solar may consider ESPN5 as its new free TV partner starting in 2020. ESPN airs some NBA games here in the US so some of those games can be aired on ESPN5 while the TNT/NBA TV games can be aired on ABS-CBN and S+A, as well as the games aired on the local NBA markets here in the US.
Let's see if ABS-CBN can put up a better NBA telecast when the new season begins later this year.
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