Basketball
Furious Perasol blasts Coca-Cola management: ‘Wala silang malasakit’
AKTV/Paolo Papa
Powerade coach Bo Perasol and the rest of the Tigers squad were blindsided by Monday’s announcement that the team’s owner, Coca-Cola Bottlers Philippines, Inc., had sold the franchise to a firm headed by sports patron Mikee Romero.
“Wala silang malasakit sa amin,” said Perasol, adding that members of the team only heard about the sale after the PBA’s announcement. “Wala kaming kaalam-alam na ibinenta na pala yung team, hindi na muna kami sabihan, especially sa mga taong mayroon silang obligasyon.”
Perasol said Powerade team executive Ronnie Asuncion scheduled a meeting with the squad on Monday night to let them know about management’s plan for the franchise.
Several members of the Tigers still have live contracts with the team, including Perasol, who earlier revealed that he has an offer to coach the Ateneo Blue Eagles next season.
The PBA said CCBPI informed the league on Wednesday that “it has finalized the sale and transfer of its Powerade Tigers team franchise to Sultan 900, Inc. which is owned and represented by its chairman and CEO Michael Romero.”
Under league rules, the sale needs to get the approval of a two-thirds vote by the PBA Board of Governors to be allowed.
News of the transaction comes despite repeated denials from Ronnie Asuncion about the squad being for sale.
An InterAKTV report earlier last February revealed that management has held talks to sell the franchise to San Miguel Corporation, but both parties said that the sale did not push through.
But speculation about the sale became rife after the team traded away some of its top players to other teams midway through the season. Star rookie Marcio Lassiter was shipped to the Petron Blaze Boosters along with veteran guard Celino Cruz, while starting center Doug Kramer was sent to Barako Bull.
