PBA clinging on hope for season restart

The PBA eyes to stage at least one conference to salvage the 45th season with the government relaxing quarantine measures

MANILA, Philippines – Hope is not lost on the PBA that it could still salvage its 45th season by staging one conference.

PBA commissioner Willie Marcial is set to meet with the board of governors to discuss what guidelines the league will follow in a potential season restart with the government relaxing quarantine measures.

Metro Manila will downgrade from modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) to general community quarantine (GCQ) on June 1. (READ: Live sports to resume in MGCQ, but not basketball)

"By September, I'm still hoping that we can play," Marcial told Rappler in a mix of Filipino and English.

"When we shift to GCQ, maybe we can ease into practices but without scrimmages, only running and conditioning."

Marcial previously said the PBA will decide the latest in August whether the season will resume.

Teams returning to practice is just the first of many steps, though, as the PBA needs to determine where it will hold its games.

Among the venues Marcial mentioned are the Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City and the Mall of Asia Arena and Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay City.

"We will talk to the venues what their protocol are and we will present them our own protocol," Marcial said.

Meanwhile, whether the games will be played behind closed doors or with a limited number of fans watching on-site depends on the government, Marcial said.

"When the government moves, we move."

The elimination round of the Philippine Cup was supposed to end last May 16, with the playoffs lasting until early June. – Rappler.com