PBA OFFICIALS said that the league is looking at following the lead set by the National Basketball Association and have a single venue to host teams and all the matches in the event that the league returns this year. — PBA IMAGES

By Michael Angelo S. Murillo, Senior Reporter

WITH team workouts resuming on Tuesday, the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) is mulling its next moves in its return-to-activities, including the possibility of mounting a league bubble that would host the resumption of the currently suspended season.

In their online Philippine Sportswriters Association forum session on Tuesday, PBA officials Ricky Vargas (chairman) and Willie Marcial (commissioner) shared that the league is looking at following the lead set by the National Basketball Association (NBA) and have a single venue to host the teams and all the matches in the event that the league returns this year.

The PBA suspended its Season 45 in March because of the coronavirus pandemic and is angling for an October resumption.

“We don’t have a choice. We already have a model, that of the NBA. We should just go ahead and move forward and look forward to the time that we could play,” said Mr. Vargas, who represents the TNT KaTropa in the league board.

The NBA resumed on July 31 at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Florida, after suspending its own season for four months and is proving to be successful as not one case of the coronavirus has been reported to date.

For the planned PBA bubble, among the places being considered for it are the Smart-Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City, Clark in Pampanga and the Inspire Sports Academy in Laguna.

Also being considered as locations are Batangas and Subic, Zambales.

“We have been talking to different people for possible bubble locations. I will lay everything to the board so we can decide which is the best option to take,” Mr. Marcial said.

But while the bubble is looming to be a suitable direction for the league in light of the health crisis, Mr. Vargas admits that it entails challenges, foremost of which financially.

“For the NBA bubble, I think the league financed the cost of some $180 million. Here we’ll see if the PBA can shoulder the cost of the bubble or if it will need the help of the teams,” said Mr. Vargas.

The PBA officials said the planned bubble will be discussed in the next board meeting along with other matters.

The league suspended its Season 45 on March 11 with only one game played in the Philippine Cup, that between the San Miguel Beermen and Magnolia Hotshots Pambansang Manok, which the former won, 94-78.

On Tuesday, after some delay the PBA finally pushed through with its team workouts, the first phase in its push to resume its currently suspended season.

Mr. Marcial said teams that already began their workouts were Barangay Ginebra, Rain or Shine, Alaska, Blackwater and San Miguel. The rest of the field are set to do theirs anytime this week.

“This is a good start. We are ready to do what we have to do. I think most teams are beginning to practice following the very strict protocols that have been set up by the PBA and the Board of Governors,” said Mr. Vargas.

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