THE push for sports’ return in the country amid the pandemic takes a significant step this week with local professional leagues set to open.
The Philippine Basketball Association (PBA), Premier Volleyball League (PVL), National Basketball League (NBL) and the Women’s National Basketball League (WNBL), after a long wait, were finally given the green light to get their respective competitions going.
On July 16, the PBA kicks off its Season 46 while the PVL, NBL and WNBL fire off the following day.
The leagues were given the go-ahead by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) and the Games and Amusements Board (GAB) after careful evaluation of their proposals and under the understanding that said leagues will adhere to existing health and safety protocols.
The PBA is set to stage two conferences this season beginning with the All-Filipino Cup. It will hold triple-headers every Wednesday, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays at the Ynares Arena in Pasig City until the opening of the league’s inaugural 3×3 tournament in August.
The Philippine Cup features a single-round-robin elimination format, with the top eight advancing to the playoffs.
Unlike last year where the PBA held a full “bubble” in Clark, Pampanga, this time around the league will employ a “closed circuit” setup where participants’ movements are limited to home-gym-home and closely monitored.
Protocol violators will be given fines and suspensions while regular testing will be in effect. No fans will be allowed in the game venue.
“We don’t want the league to be a problem. We are in full support of the resumption of professional sports. We are of course guided by the joint administrative order, which the IATF asked us to follow,” said PBA Commissioner Willie Marcial of their opening while reiterating their commitment to the guidelines set.
The PVL, meanwhile, starts its first season as a professional league on July 17 in a bubble in Ilocos Norte. Ten teams will be competing in the Open Conference. Games will be played every day, save for Thursday. Tournament format will have a single-round robin elimination with the top four teams advancing to the best-of-three semifinals.
“We’re elated that we will be able to start the first professional season of the league. It’s a go for us,” said PVL President Ricky Palou, whose group also got the Ilocos Norte government’s approval to start last week.
PVL matches will be played at the PCV Socio-Civic & Cultural Center in Bacarra.
The NBL and WNBL, too, start on July 17 at the Bulacan Capitol Gymnasium in Malolos. It will be conducted under a home-venue-home open circuit setup.
Apart from the Malolos venue, NBL/WNBL is also eyeing to play its tournament at the Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center in San Fernando, Pampanga, Red Arc Gymnasium in Balagtas, Bulacan, and the Quezon Convention Center in Lucena.
The NBL/WNBL said aside from the needed GAB licenses, players, coaches, and staff have also undergone vaccination in the lead-up. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo
