Air21 Express
Air21 Express | |||
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Founded | 2011 | ||
Dissolved | 2014 | ||
History | Shopinas.com Clickers (2011–2012) Air21 Express (2012–2014) | ||
Team colors | Purple, Orange, White | ||
Company | Airfrieght 2100, Inc. | ||
Head coach | Franz Pumaren | ||
Ownership | Alberto Lina | ||
Retired numbers | 1 (18) | ||
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The Air21 Express was a professional
History
Energy Food and Drink Inc., owner of the original Barako Bull Energy Boosters franchise, had informed the PBA board in March 2011 that they intend to fold, citing the plan to shift their business strategy due to its ongoing lawsuit against TC Pharmaceuticals Industries Co. (manufacturer of Red Bull in Thailand) and the death of board governor Tony Chua at the height of Tropical Storm Ondoy (Ketsana).
Barako Bull had been on leave since the
In June 2011, Barako Bull informed the PBA it intended to sell its franchise to the Lina Group of Companies (LGC), owner of the Air21 Express franchise, reportedly for 50 million pesos. In July 2011, the board approved Barako Bull's sale to Airfreight 2100, while deferring the new franchise's concession that might be given to the team to improve its roster.[3] Air21's Manny Alvarez mentioned that the second Lina Group franchise will be named "Shopinas.com", named after its new company that focuses into e-commerce, and that the new team's representative would be Shiela Lina, who is then forming the team's coaching staff.[4]
Shopinas.com Clickers
Shopinas.com Clickers | |
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Colors | |
Uniforms | |
Light uniform
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Dark uniform
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Former
The Clickers selected
.The team finished the Philippine Cup eliminations with a 0–14 record, setting a new
Air21 Express
After a disappointing finish in the Philippine Cup, the Lina Group decided to rename the franchise as the Air21 Express, the name that was previously carried by their sister team, Barako Bull Energy.[9]
Before the Commissioner's Cup started, the team traded Mark Canlas, Dennis Daa, and a 2012 first round pick to the Meralco Bolts in exchange for bigmen Nelbert Omolon and Mark Isip.[10]
The team had signed SMART-Gilas player Marcus Douthit as their import for the Commissioner's Cup.[11] Despite having Douthit as import, the team failed to pass through the elimination round, only finishing with a 3–6 record.
After years of failed campaigns, Air 21 led by 42-year-old
Sale of the franchise to NLEX
In March 2014, the Manila North Tollways Corporation (
On June 17, 2014, MNTC announced that it was having negotiations with a PBA team to acquire their franchise. Due to the ongoing Governors' Cup playoffs, MNTC did not identify the team they were negotiating with, but stated it will reveal the team's identity once the team was eliminated.[12] Days later, the team was revealed to be Air21 Express.
On June 23, 2014, an agreement was reached between MNTC and the Lina Group of Companies regarding the sale of the Air21 Express PBA franchise to MNTC.[13] The sale was approved during the regular monthly meeting of the board of governors, paving the way for the sale of the franchise to MNTC.[14]
Final roster
Air21 Express (2011-2014) roster | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Players | Coaches | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Season-by-season records
- Records from the 2013–14 PBA season:
Conf. |
Team name | Elimination round | Playoffs | ||||
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Finish | W | L | PCT | Stage | Results | ||
PHI | Air21 Express | 10th/10 | 3 | 11 | .214 | Did not qualify | |
COM | 7th/10 | 3 | 6 | .333 | Quarterfinals Semifinals |
Air21 def. San Miguel** in two games San Mig Coffee 3, Air21 2
| |
GOV | 7th/10 | 5 | 4 | .556 | Quarterfinals | Rain or Shine** 111, Air21 90 | |
Total elimination round | 11 | 21 | .344 | 1 semifinal appearance | |||
Total playoffs | 4 | 4 | .500 | 0 Finals appearances | |||
Total 2013–14 | 15 | 25 | .375 | 0 championships | |||
Total franchise | 34 | 77 | .306 | 0 championships |
*one-game playoffs
**team had the twice-to-beat advantage
Retired numbers
Air21 Express retired numbers | |||
N° | Player | Position | Tenure |
---|---|---|---|
18 | Vergel Meneses | G |
2002-2004[a] |
- a – retired on December 18, 2013. Meneses wore #18 during his stint for the Swift/Sunkist/Pop Cola franchise from 1993 to 1999. He played for the old FedEx/Air21 franchise (known as the Barako Bull Energy until 2016) from 2002 to 2004, wearing jersey #8.[15]
See also
- Shopinas.com Lady Clickers (PSL women's volleyball team)
References
- Philippine Star. Archived from the originalon September 8, 2012. Retrieved August 18, 2011.
- Philippine Star. Archived from the originalon September 9, 2012. Retrieved August 18, 2011.
- Philippine Star. Archived from the originalon September 7, 2012. Retrieved August 18, 2011.
- Philippine Star. Archived from the originalon September 11, 2012. Retrieved August 18, 2011.
- ^ Belen, Reynaldo (July 22, 2011). "Franz Pumaren to sign 3-year deal with Shopinas in PBA". Interaksyon.com. Archived from the original on August 30, 2011. Retrieved August 23, 2011.
- ^ Belen, Reynaldo (July 22, 2011). "Shopinas asks PBA for more draft picks". Interaksyon.com. Archived from the original on August 28, 2011. Retrieved August 23, 2011.
- ^ 0–14 Archived June 2, 2012, at the Wayback Machine, Josiah Israel Albelda
- ^ B-MEG shuts out Shopinas campaign, clinches twice-to-beat Archived January 7, 2012, at the Wayback Machine, interaksyon.com, December 8, 2011
- ^ Management wants Air21 brand back in PBA, GMA News Online, January 11, 2012
- ^ [1] Archived February 29, 2012, at the Wayback Machine, Reynaldo Belen, InterAKTV · Friday, January 27, 2012
- ^ [2] Archived February 4, 2012, at the Wayback Machine, Reynaldo Belen, InterAKTV · Thursday, February 2, 2012
- ^ No more expansion: NLEX buying existing team to join PBA Archived June 22, 2014, at the Wayback Machine, Rey Joble, InterAksyon.com, June 17, 2014
- ^ NLEX reaches deal to acquire Air 21 franchise, awaits league approval Archived June 26, 2014, at the Wayback Machine, Rey Joble, InterAksyon.com, June 23, 2014
- ^ PBA approval of Air21's sale to NLEX clears way for Joseph Yeo trade to Ginebra for draft pick, Snow Badua, spin.ph, June 26, 2014
- ^ Caguioa all praises for old Ginebra mentor Meneses: ‘Parang Jordan of the Philippines’ Archived December 19, 2013, at the Wayback Machine, Rey Joble, InterAKSYON, December 18, 2013