PBA ‘on track’ despite delay, fate of season to be decided in September

Opening of PBA’s 45th season. INQUIRER PHOTO/Tristan Tamayo

MANILA, Philippines — Despite encountering another delay in schedule, PBA commissioner Willie Marcial believes that the goal to resume the season is still attainable.

Marcial had initially set a July 22 date for teams to return to practice, but it has now been pushed back next month after the signed joint administrative order was just released by the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases Monday.

“We’re still on track,” said Marcial in Filipino in a story on the PBA website.

Officially cleared for non-scrimmage workouts, PBA teams will have to undergo swab testing first before anything else to ensure a safe environment during practices.

With the schedule moved, it is also likely that the PBA board’s decision on whether to resume the league’s 45th season or not will be made in September instead of August.

The mood, though, remains the same.

“When I was chairing the meeting, the mood was very upbeat and I felt everybody amongst the governors were eager and ready to work, get back to court and help get the PBA running ASAP,” said PBA chairman Ricky Vargas, shortly after the latest board meeting.