Ceres-Negros up for sale as COVID-19 hits business

Ceres-Negros, considered as Philippine football’s rags-to-riches story, formally announced yesterday its decision to put the decorated club on sale.

Ceres management confirmed speculations that have been going on for weeks, saying that it is negotiating with investors that will take over ownership of the three-time defending Philippine Football League champion and regular AFC Cup participant.

The club didn’t reveal the exact decision why it has decided to take such route, but talks of Ceres been dealing with the hard times due to the COVID-19 pandemic came into light after the departure of Fil-Australian defender Joshua Grommen.

Philippine Football Federation general secretary Ed Gastanes, in an online press conference, confirmed the federation already received official notice from Ceres about the impending sale.

Once the transaction is done, the club currently chaired by Leo Rey Yanson of the Bacolod City-based Vallacar Transit, will be renamed.

“This is one of the toughest decisions made by Mr. Yanson, whose passion for football was reflected at the way he poured his personal resources and steered the club to unprecedented heights since it was formed eight years ago,” Ceres-Negros said in a statement.

Yanson, whose family owned a large fleet of Ceres buses in Visayas and Mindanao, formed the club in 2012 with a lineup of former national team players and Koreans from local colleges and universities.

Originally known as Ceres-La Salle for supporting the University of St. La Salle football program, the club made waves on the national level, winning the 2013 PFF National Club Championship in Cinderella fashion with wins over United Football League clubs Stallion, Global and Kaya before beating Pasargad 1-0 in the final.

With vast resources, Ceres quickly became one of the country’s premier clubs, winning the 2014 UFL second division, 2014 FA League Cup and 2015 UFL crown while figuring in a rivalry with Global.

The Busmen carried their success to the newly formed PFL, claiming the first three editions of the pro league. All in all, Ceres took home nine domestic trophies, including a UFL and Copa Paulino Alcantara double in 2019.

They also participate in the continental AFC Cup on a regular basis, going as far as taking the ASEAN zonal crown in 2017.

Spanish striker Bievenido Maranon has made a name himself as Ceres’ top talisman while national team captain Stephan Schrock was also among the central figures in the club’s title runs. They are some of the top local and foreign players tapped by the Busmen during their title runs.

Ceres had been on a roll in this year’s AFC Cup, winning the first three matches before the COVID-19 pandemic forced a halt in the competition.