When the PBA and SBP announced it would have a press conference after the successful Asiad gold medal stint, I thought it would be all about the Asiad gold medal.
Based on the tweets and stories that came out of the press conference, it seemed it was all about two players who dared asked to be paid before suiting up for the national team.
The PBA didn’t name the two players, one who asked for the moon, but knowing how press conferences work, the media in the press con, and the fans who followed the blind item, already know who the two are.
Which made me think, was the press con about the Asiad gold medal or about the two?
Were the two players wrong in asking to be paid before playing for the national team?
No.
After hearing stories of how Jordan Clarkson was paid $1 million and how Kai Sotto got $200,000 for the World Cup, if I was that player, I’d ask for what I think I’d be worth.
The SBP created the monster when it started paying players to suit up for the national team, why is it surprised when players start asking to be paid?
Besides we have corporate sponsorships, earnings from jersey sales, earnings from Fiba World Cup TV rights, a P3.5 billion—BILLION—bail out from the government for the SBP that we know nothing how it was spent.
And now we have the SBP and the PBA condemning two players who asked for what they think they should be paid.
If the PBA wants to condemn for that, perhaps it’s time we ask this:
Who gets the income for Gilas Pilipinas jersey sales?
Who gets the income from the Fiba World Cup TV rights?
How was the government bailout for the Fiba World Cup hosting spent?
Where did the sponsorship money for the World Cup hosting go?
It’s easy to condemn the two players. But if you think about it, the government money spent in the World Cup hosting deserve more condemnation and scrutiny.
