Closed-circuit format being mulled for new PBA season
THE PHILIPPINE Basketball Association ( PBA) is considering using a closed- circuit format for its brand new season, which is expected to tip off in April 2021.
League commissioner Willie Marcia said they are more comfortable using a closed-circuit format especially after using this for the team’ return to practice prior to the “bubble” in Clark, Pampanga.
"If vaccine is not yet available, we'll likely go for closed-circuit which we had implemented in our return to practices prior to the Clark bubble tourney," Marcial was quoted as saying on the league’s official website.
"Closed-circuit concept is a lot more lenient, requiring home-venue-home scheme; not lockdown in one place for the entire delegation as what we did in Clark," Marcial added.
Although the “bubble” was a huge success, it also cost the league around P65 million to put up. It also entailed
tremendous sacrifices from everyone in the league including players, coaches and league staff since nobody was allowed to go out of the “bubble.”
"Mahirap. Nakita ko na nahirapan ang mga players lalo na noong first months," shared Marcial.
Marcial added that they are now just taking a wait-and-see approach especially with news of a vaccine being made available during the second quarter of the year. Without it, the league remains noncommittal to a three-conference format.
"We'll be observing a wait and see attitude," said Marcial.
The league commissioner is currently studying different policies before presenting these to the PBA’s board of governors headed by chairman Ricky Vargas.