Marcial has five ‘bubble’ options for PBA restart

The Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) “bubble” is slowly but surely taking shape, with the league expected to hear presentations from several hotels in Metro Manila hoping to be the home of the planned facility, on Tuesday.

As much as possible, PBA commissioner Willie Marcial said that the hotel where the PBA contingent will be staying will be blocked off for the league, which has between 350-400 players, staff, officials and television crew expected to enter the bubble.

“We have at least five hotels presenting their proposals on Tuesday,” Marcial said. “We will take those proposals in consideration with our presentation to the PBA board in the next meeting.”

The league has identified the Inspire Academy in Calamba, Laguna, Clark in Pampanga, Batangas and Smart Araneta Coliseum in Cubao, Quezon City, as its possible bubble.

Marcial stressed that the main talking point on the planned bubble is the cost that it will entail. The league has restarted practices with TNT KaTropa training at Inspire, while 11 other ball clubs are working out at their respective gyms.

Marcial said the next round of COVID-19 testing is set on Saturday. The next round of tests, Marcial said, will be crucial for the league as he plans to send another request to the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases to allow teams to undergo scrimmages in anticipation for a restart of the season.

The PBA is hoping to salvage whatever remains of its 45th season with the all-Filipino conference in the middle of October.

Marcial said the COVID-19 pandemic should not take away the luster from the championship in the Philippine Cup.

“I think this is the toughest season in the history of the PBA, so whoever wins this [Philippine Cup] is a real champion.” INQ