The Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Board of Governors is set to convene today and is expected to give its stamp of approval to Pureblends Corporation’s takeover of the NorthPort Batang Pier franchise.

A total of P90 million — paid in two tranches — completed the Batang Pier’s sale to the food manufacturing company, according to reports on Tuesday.

The acquisition, however, will need a two-third vote from the PBA Board for the sale to be recognized. Although a direct competitor, San Miguel Corporation is expected to give its nod.

“Tomorrow we will have a board meeting and this will be one of our main agenda,” PBA commissioner Willie Marcial said in a short message to DAILY TRIBUNE.

PBA chairman Ricky Vargas backs up Marcial, saying that a planning session is already in place to thoroughly discuss the potential transfer of the Northport franchise to Pureblends.

“We have a planning session from 8 to 11 September. We are just finalizing things,” said Vargas, who is unaware of the looming transaction since it has yet to formally reach the PBA Board.

“It hasn’t been submitted to the PBA Board so there’s no action yet. I don’t know why that came up.”

Reports have it that both parties had already agreed on the buyout over the weekend and are now securing the necessary documents, including the financial statements for the last three years, to be presented to the PBA Board.

If given the thumbs up, Pureblends will be the newest franchise in the 12-team field in the PBA’s 50th season.

Businessman Bryan Calantoc is the listed owner of Pureblends.

Calantoc has a deep background in basketball, being a high school varsity player for Grace Christian School in the Tiong Lian Basketball Association.

He also backed a team in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League and fielded his squad, Pureblends-Similan Black Fox, in the Pilipinas Super Liga, making him capable of managing a pro club.

Calantoc is also a close friend of NorthPort head coach Bonnie Tan.

Pureblends’ could make its first move as a franchise in the coming PBA Draft on Sunday at the SM Mall of Asia.

The Batang Pier own the right to the No. 4 pick in the annual proceeding.

If everything pushes through, the Batang Pier purchase would be the first to be completed after Converge bought Alaska franchise in 2022.

Pureblends is taking over a competitive NorthPort lineup. It still has the core of the squad that reached the semifinals of last season’s Commissioner’s Cup.

The Batang Pier still have veterans Calvin Abueva, Joshua Munzon, Cade Flores, Evan Nelle, Fran Yu and James Kwekuetye under contract.

Pureblends can also negotiate new deals with players with expiring contracts like Jio Jalalon, Jerrick Balanza, Sidney Onwubere, Damie Cuntapay and Avan Nava.

NorthPort still holds the signing rights to former Best Player of the Conference winner Arvin Tolentino and Dave Ildefonso, whom the team drafted but failed to agree to a deal. Tolentino left the Batang Pier to play for the Seoul SK Knights in the Korean Basketball League.

It is still undetermined if Tan and his coaching staff will remain at the reins or if a new ownership group will appoint a new mentor.

NorthPort entered the league in 2012 after the Mikee Romero-owned Sultan 900 Inc. acquired the Powerade franchise.

If everything pushes through, the Batang Pier purchase would be the first to be completed after Converge bought Alaska franchise in 2022.

Terrafirma was also put on sale this year but negotiations with Starhorse Shipping Lines and another buyer, Zamboanga Valientes, both hit a dead end.