BUBBLE FLOATED
Guiao suggests games on road
I think the PBA should also consider doing it outside Metro Manila, where infection rate is not high, or any areas where it is really safe
If situation in Metro Manila doesn’t get any better, the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) should consider holding games on the road to somehow salvage its 45th season.
NLEX coach Yeng Guiao yesterday raised the idea of holding the games in a bubble setup away from the National Capital Region and nearby provinces as they remain under the strict modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) due to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus.
So far, the country already has 116,000 coronavirus cases, prompting President Rodrigo Duterte to revert to MECQ from 4 to 18 August.
With that, the scheduled resumption of training of PBA teams was put on hold, dealing a major blow to the restart of the 45th season.
Guiao, a former Pampanga governor, said the league should look elsewhere if it wants to play at least one conference this season.
“It’s still too early to say, but for now, the way I see it, we could do it by October or late September. Maybe the condition in Metro Manila would be better by that time,” said the 61-year-old Guiao, who is looking forward to join the Road Warriors in training.
“But for now, I think the PBA should also consider doing it outside Metro Manila, where infection rate is not high, or any areas where it is really safe.”
Holding games using bubble concept similar to the National Basketball Association (NBA) would be ideal, but requires massive amount of budget and other logistical requirements.
The league, for one, has to shoulder the board and lodging of all players, coaches and staff from eight teams for at least two months — or in the entire duration of the conference.
Aside from that, the league also has to bring in medical personnel who would conduct regular testing to make sure that the bubble is safe and healthy for everyone.
Reports have it that the NBA spent around $150 million — or roughly P7 billion — to accommodate 22 teams vying for the crown inside the Disney World campus in Orlando, Florida.
PBA commissioner Willie Marcial admitted that the league is not in the position to cough out such massive amount, especially now that they are reportedly losing around P30 million a month due to the long lockdown brought by the coronavirus outbreak.
“I think it’s really impossible to hold games elsewhere because that would mean more expenses on the part of the PBA and the teams,” Marcial said, adding that their only option is holding the games behind closed doors in their usual competition venues like Smart Araneta Coliseum or Mall of Asia Arena.
“As much as possible, we would like to hold it here in Manila.”
Guiao said the only way for the PBA to hold its games in Metro Manila is if the health situation would improve.
As much as possible, we would like to hold it here in Manila.
“Wherever the PBA would hold its games, one thing is sure: There should be no spectators,” he said, adding that the NBA’s bubble concept is the perfect workaround to salvage the season.
“I’m still very hopeful because of what we see in the NBA in which they were able to preserve the bubble. It looks like they are the only successful league to do it, at least in the United States.”
“So that gives a lot of hope. As I was telling them; we don’t need to reinvent the wheel. We just have to look at the leagues that are doing it right and those making mistakes. We have to make sure that we would be able to correct those mistakes.”