WHERE to play?
It seems that is the only major issue the PBA needs to iron out before the pro league can push through with its Governors Cup games in about two weeks.
Commissioner Willie Marcial said he is currently in talks with officials of the Smart Araneta Coliseum, Mall of Asia Arena, and the Ynares gyms in Pasig and Antipolo to find out which will host the games.
“Titingnan natin. Kung ano ang maganda ang usapan namin doon tayo maglalaro,” Marcial told Malaya-Business Insight yesterday while hinting two of those venues have the inside track.
“Sa tingin ko Ynares o Araneta lang iyan,” he said, clarifying that both the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig and the Ynares Center in Antipolo are open to hosting the games.
“Kahit saang Ynares iyan, Pasig o Antipolo, okay naman tayo. Pero depende sa pag-uusapan namin,” clarified Marcial. “Okay si (Pasig) Mayor Vico (Sotto), okay din si (Antipolo) Mayor Junjun (Ynares).”
Aside from the playing venue, everything else seems to be falling into place for the season-ending tournament to resume after being put on hold since its last playdate of Dec. 26 by the recent surge in COVID cases at the start of the year.
With the daily infections seemingly slowing down, the PBA Board, after a special meeting last Monday, announced it intends to resume the conference by the first week of February.
Marcial said he would give the teams, limited to small group workouts during the lull, “seven to 10 days” of full scrimmages in their respective practice venues once allowed by the concerned LGU.
“Kapag nag-practices at nag-scrimmages, anim na cities tayo magpapaalam,” said Marcial, referring to Quezon City, Parañaque, Pasay, Pasig, Mandaluyong and San Juan. “Pag okay na sila, mag-se-set tayo ng date ng simula ng practices.”
To facilitate talks with the different cities, Marcial has enlisted the help of MMDA Chairman Benhur Abalos, meaning the latter would directly communicate with each LGU.
“Nag-usap na kami kaninang umaga and baka mag-meeting kami mamayang hapon ni Chairman Abalos, so malamang magkakaroon na tayo ng linaw doon,” said Marcial.
Even the Games and Amusement Board has endorsed the PBA’s resumption to the IATF, which in a previous order enabled the PBA to go ahead with its 46th season last July.
“May standing order naman iyon (IATF), kaya tingin ko talaga wala tayong problema kung makakapaglaro,” said Marcial. “Pero kasi nga gusto nating dumaan sa proseso kaya iniisa-isa natin. So as of now, kinukuha na lang muna natin go-signal ng mga LGUs para sa practices, then during or after that isasara na rin natin kung saan tayo lalaro.”
