Pureblends finalizes P90-million buyout of NorthPort’s PBA franchise, marking end of Batang Pier era

A new chapter is about to open in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) as Pureblends Corp. has acquired the NorthPort Batang Pier franchise in a deal reportedly worth ₱90 million, closing the curtain on Mikee Romero’s team after more than a decade in the league.

Sources confirmed the transaction was completed over the weekend, with Pureblends officially assuming control of the franchise on September 1. 

The sale, however, still awaits the formal approval of the PBA Board of Governors, which is set to deliberate on Wednesday. 

Under league rules, existing franchises may veto the entry of direct competitors, but reports indicate that San Miguel Corp. — which also has food industry interests — is unlikely to block Pureblends’ participation.

The takeover signals the end of the Batang Pier’s 13-year journey in the PBA. NorthPort entered the league in 2012 after Sultan 900 Inc., owned by Romero, bought the Powerade Tigers franchise from Coca-Cola Bottlers Philippines. Over the years, the franchise became known for its grit and occasional giant-killing performances, even if a finals appearance always eluded them.

Among their most notable runs was the 2019 PBA Governors’ Cup, when NorthPort, behind star guard Robert Bolick and big man Christian Standhardinger, pulled off a stunning quarterfinal upset of top-seeded NLEX to advance to the semifinals.

Standhardinger would later win Best Player of the Conference honors that year, giving the Batang Pier their biggest individual accolade.

 The team also saw All-Star selections in Bolick, Stanley Pringle, Sean Anthony, and Terrence Romeo during different stages of its history, building a reputation for developing exciting talent despite being tagged as a rebuilding team more often than not.

As part of its final activities before the handover, NorthPort conducted a two-day tryout in Quezon City for free agents and rookies in preparation for the Season 50 draft. 

Nakasalalay sa kamay ng Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Board kung tuluyang aaprubahan ang pagbili sa prangkisa ng miyembro nitong NorthPort Batang Pier na mapupunta sa halagang P90-milyon sa Pureblends, Inc.

Basahin: https://t.co/xmBoFwap4b pic.twitter.com/TffDPhSYx0

— Abante News Online (@AbanteNews) September 3, 2025

 Contracted players — including Calvin Abueva, Joshua Munzon, Cade Flores, Evan Nelle, Fran Yu, and James Kwekuetye — reported for practice on Monday, though their futures remain under evaluation by Pureblends. The fate of free agents such as Jio Jalalon, Jerrick Balanza, Sidney Onwubere, Damie Cuntapay, and Avan Nava, as well as head coach Bonnie Tan and his staff, is also uncertain.

Pureblends is headed by Bryann Calantoc, a Grace Christian High School standout and former UST Growling Tiger, who has previously backed teams in the MPBL and Pilipinas Super Liga.

 Whether the franchise will immediately adopt the Pureblends branding or continue as NorthPort for the meantime remains undecided, with marketing and identity plans still being finalized.

If ratified by the PBA board, the deal will officially close the Batang Pier’s chapter in league history — a team that never captured a championship but nonetheless left its mark as an underdog franchise capable of producing unforgettable moments and cultivating some of the PBA’s brightest stars. 

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