PBA determined to hold at least two conferences in 2021, says Marcial

January 4 ------ THE PBA will do its best to stage at least two conferences in 2021, according to commissioner Willie Marcial. Marcial said that the league remains hopeful for a return to a full three-conference season in 2021 if the health crisis improves especially with the development of vaccines around the world.

“Titignan natin kung kakayanin natin ang three conferences,” said Marcial during an interview with Noli Eala in his Power and Play program. “Pero kung hindi, baka two. At least two conferences lang ang magagawa natin.” The PBA has already booked an April 9 opening for the 2021 season, although it is still not clear whether it will still be held under a bubble set-up just like last year in Clark. The league has only calendared a Philippine Cup for now. The PBA has already broached the idea of holding a closed-circuit set-up where teams will be strictly monitored and only allowed to travel from home to game venue or practice venue and back during the season.

Barangay Ginebra team governor Alfrancis Chua, meanwhile, suggested a Metro Manila bubble in which the games will be played in either the Smart-Araneta Coliseum or in smaller venues. At this point, Marcial said he remains unsure on whether the second conference and, if possible, the third conference, will be played with imports. Marcial said the PBA could consider bringing in imports if a large number of the population in the United States where teams usually recruit imports have inoculated. “By June, July, makikita na natin ang galawan. One, papayag ba na magdala ng imports dito? Two, kapag nandito na ang imports, may quarantine pa ba? Baka may vaccine na sila pagpunta dito. Malaking bagay ‘yun kung ano ang sitwasyon nila,” said Marcial.

Source: spin.ph