THOUGHTS | MPBL WEEDING OUT THE WEAK TEAMS

The gutting of MPBL teams has already begun, with the remaining squads feasting on the remnants of what were once the Nueva Ecija Rice Vanguards, the Pangasinan Heat Waves, and other teams that may or may not suit up for the seventh MPBL season.

Honestly, I was looking forward to how the league would develop in 2026, which is why I ended up writing an extensive number of blogs about its teams and players. That said, this is the core problem MPBL is facing right now.

Much like the PBA, the league is split between teams with deep pockets and those that rely heavily on community support and sponsorships. What makes this even crazier is that some of the teams reportedly taking a leave of absence represent cities that are currently caught up in the DPWH flood control mess.

The preseason tournament has drawn just 16 teams, and apart from Nueva Ecija and Pangasinan, the other squads rumored to take a sabbatical, according to a SPIN.ph report, include Rizal, Parañaque, Quezon City, Valenzuela, Bacolod, Bicol, Davao, Pasig, Manila, Imus, and Basilan.

For all the criticism thrown at the PBA’s old-school mentality, one thing it got right was forcing teams to compete until a buyer could take over the franchise. The 2010–11 PBA season remains infamous because of the Barako Bull Energy Boosters, once known as the title-hunting Red Bull Barako, exiting the league midseason due to financial difficulties.

Look, just like the PBL, MBA, Liga Pilipinas, and the PBA D-League, this situation could still pave the way for a powerful, or at least competitive, PBA franchise in the future. These leagues allow owners to experience what it’s really like to run a basketball team and, more importantly, to learn how to sustain one. However, just like many of their predecessors, championship glory will remain out of reach unless they have the manpower to unseat the SMC teams, as well as TNT, the lone MVP-backed franchise with multiple PBA titles.

LEAGUE	FORMER NAME	PBA TEAM	START	END	BEST FINISH
PABL	SWIFT	POP/SARSI/ SWIFT/ SUNKIST	1990	2001	4 CHAMPIONSHIPS
PABL	STA. LUCIA	STA. LUCIA	1993	2010	2 CHAMPIONSHIPS
PBL	STAG / TANDUAY	TANDUAY	1999	2001	1 FINALS APPEARANCE
PBL	RED BULL / AGFA	RED BULL / BARAKO BULL	2000	2011	3 CHAMPIONSHIPS
MBA	LAGUNA LAKERS	FEDEX/AIR21/BURGER KING/ BARAKO	2002	2016	1 FINALS APPEARANCE
PBL	WELCOAT	WELCOAT/ RAIN OR SHINE	2006	PRESENT	2 CHAMPIONSHIPS
PBL/ABL	HARBOUR CENTRE / AIR ASIA	GLOBALPORT/NORTHPORT	2012	2025	3 SEMIFINAL BERTHS
PBA DL	NLEX	NLEX	2014	PRESENT	2 SEMIFINAL BERTHS
PBA DL	BLACKWATER	BLACKWATER	2014	PRESENT	6 PLAYOFF APPEARANCES

As much as a heavily funded MPBL team may thrive in a PBA environment, it still doesn’t compare to being a true top-dog franchise in the MPBL. Because the league is city-based, most teams, except for the San Juan Knights, will always struggle to build a consistent fanbase in Metro Manila. This is why I like the idea of Manny Pacquiao putting his foot down.

While weeding out bad franchises could eventually make the MPBL better, it also matters that the league doesn’t lose a dozen or more teams overnight. With international leagues looking less at Philippine talent as they diversify their player searches, names like Nic Cabanero, Cedrick Manzano, and Harold Alarcon are starting to give the league real relevance.

Player movement to upgrade rosters is great, but it’s just as important that teams are finalized by February. The last thing MPBL needs is a last-minute squad built from whatever names are left in the free-agency pool. If this structure holds, we might even see more PBA free agents make their way to the MPBL. I’ve seen articles where players like Greg Slaughter and Terrence Romeo are left wondering why they’re still unsigned. At this point, it’s less about being too choosy and more about a lack of commitment to make their presence felt.

With a streamlined MPBL, games would matter more, and the league could serve as a real gauge for whether these players still deserve another shot. The problem with having 30 teams is that you inevitably need to weed out the bad ones. That’s also why I’m not a fan of expansion, as it leads to talent dilution. The PBA still hasn’t fully recovered from the circumstances that gave rise to Terrafirma and Blackwater.

When I worked on my MPBL season stat blogs, it was a chore to identify the players who supposedly “led” certain teams. Some had already moved elsewhere, while others weren’t worthy of mention at all. Cebu and Marikina went with platoon-style moves last season, and while they remain invested heading into the seventh season, it’s hard to say whether they made the right adjustments to compete with Abra, Quezon, Batangas City, and San Juan.