There is a reason for everything and for Phoenix’s failure to buy the Red Bull franchise in the PBA, the disappointment would later turn out to be a blessing in disguise.
The Davao-based oil company, a fast-rising player in the oil industry, knocked on the doors of the professional basketball league last year after Red Bull took a leave of absence and offered the franchise to Phoenix.
However, the move to buy the Red Bull franchise encountered an opposition and it did not materialize. Turns out now that the San Miguel Beer franchise will be carrying the name Petron Blaze and would have been competing with Phoenix in terms of exposure for two industry players. Petron obviously doesn’t like competition in the PBA from another oil industry firm.
And so the Phoenix proposal was thumbed down by the PBA.
Without a PBA franchise, Phoenix captured the attention of the sports market and its aggressive stance in pursuing a PBA franchise invited many sports to knock on Phoenix’s doors.
From an outsider knocking in, Phoenix has assumed the role of the sought-after sports market commodity.
All of a sudden, Phoenix found itself flooded with proposals for sponsorships. Now, it’s having a field day in terms of exposure and media mileage.
With the PBA out of its radar, Phoenix set its eyes on the fun run market and is making raves with several runs in Davao and nearby cities. Phoenix also banked on exposures with Philippine football through the popular Azkals and the Suzuki Cup U23. Then came the Phoenix Fuels Trip Ko Basketball Cup for high school cagers which got going last Saturday at the Almendras Gym.
The youth-oriented cagefest drew the best of the high school cage ranks and from all indications, the tournament will be growing beyond Davao. Phoenix’s Marketing man Neb Bulaclac intimated that the project might be replicated in the Visayas and Luzon areas where Phoenix is slowly making its presence.
Phoenix is also supporting the PFC Cup Winners Cup Futsal Davao Finals on July 166, 23 and August 7 which brings football to the mall for the first time in Davao. The event will be hosted by NCCC Mall and will be staged at the activity area.
The company’s fun run series will also have a Kadayawan version after its highly successful Araw ng Davao edition.
Phoenix’s presence in the sports market has probably grown beyond the projected attention it can get out of playing in the PBA. Afterall, it still has its ‘presence’ in the PBA through the sponsored segments and out-of-town games.
Finally, Phoenix will surely be benefitting from the recent election to the Davao Sports Council of its corporate affairs manager Beethoven Sur who heads the bodybuilding group in Davao. Ben’s passion for sports is expected to transform the dormant council into an animated entity that will fuel the renaissance of sports in Davao.
With Phoenix fast becoming a byword in Davao sports, everybody is starting to forget the botched stint in the PBA.
Which bring us to one conclusion: PBA’s loss is Davao’s gain.
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