In early March, we shared with you a report by our sister website Spin.ph about Kia distributor Columbian Autocar Corporation applying for a team franchise in the Philippine Basketball Association. On April 10, the company's application was finally approved by the PBA board of governors. Kia thus joins North Luzon Expressway and Blackwater Sports as the three new expansion teams in the country's most popular sports league.
"Kia's joining the PBA bodes well for the game given the renewed interest and popularity in the league," said CAC president Ginia Domingo in a statement. "This is yet another testament to the success of Kia's global strategy of engaging our customers through sports marketing. With our entry into the PBA, expect us to live up to Kia's marketing axiom of The Power to Surprise."
On April 2, we announced on our Facebook page that Kia Philippines would hold a naming contest for its new basketball team. That post got more than 1,200 replies. We'd like to list down our 10 favorites among the answers (excluding the hilarious ones like "Kia Guanios," "Kia Cayetanos" and "Kia Germs"):
Kia Pride
Kia Speedsters
Kia Pathbreakers
Kia Road Masters
Kia Cruisers
Kia Vroomers
Kia Tigers
Kia Clutchers
Kia Mechanics
Kia Shifters
