BASED on the evidence it has gathered, the Games and Amusement Board is convinced that three existing sports leagues are professional in nature and must secure their licenses and permits to continue operating in the country.
“From all indications, these leagues are indeed professional sports leagues,” said GAB Commissioner Fritz Gaston, referring to the Philippine Super Liga, Shakey’s V-League and the Asean Basketball League, that is represented here by Alab Pilipinas.
Initial discussions with representatives from the three camps have already been made by GAB, but all of them maintained they are just amateur leagues.
“Most of them say their players receive only allowances, not salaries. But we have information that their players have contracts with their commercial teams in the league and that’s one major consideration in determining a professional league,” said Gaston, himself a former pro player, having donned the uniforms of U-Tex and Great Taste Coffee in the Philippine Basketball Association.
To confirm its claim, the GAB will bolster an inter-agency coordination with the Bureau of Internal Revenue, Bureau of Immigration and the Office of the Solicitor General.
GAB Commissioner Eduard Trinidad said they will clarify with the BIR the claims of these leagues regarding allowances and confer if the leagues themselves and the players under them have tax records with the finance agency.
“Ayaw naming maging kontrabida sa kanila pero mandato namin ito. Isang sinasabi nila kung bakit ayaw nilang maging pro is wala naman daw silang kita. Kung walang income, wala naman kaming kakaltasin sa kanila,” said Trinidad.
“Sa probinsiya nga, mas mababa ang take-home ng daily wage earners but they get taxed. This is not being fair to other taxpayers like you and me.”
The GAB’s guiding principle is that players who sign a “play-for-pay” contract are considered professionals. Therefore the league maintaining these players is a professional, just like the Philippine Basketball Association.
“It’s the mandate of the GAB to oversee how professional leagues conduct themselves and, at the same time, protect the interests of professional athletes,” explained Gaston.
Gaston said it is understandable why these leagues are resisting professional status. Their financial records will become open to government scrutiny.
As prescribed by PD 871, professional games (leagues) “shall set aside and remit to the Board three per cent (3%) of the gross gate receipts and income from television, radio and motion picture rights if any.”
Nevertheless,Atty. Omar Benitez of GAB’s legal division said “legal options have already been decided on with the OSG” and it’s just a matter of pursuing those options in the coming days.