With practices nearing, PBA looking at opening in mid-June

Not only will the PBA players get back to work in a couple of weeks’ time at the latest, they will also get their paychecks in full again.PBA commissioner Willie Marcial reiterated this as he continues to iron out all the kinks that will have all 12 of the league’s teams scrimmaging for the first time this year and get Season 46 of Asia’s pioneering pro league started.

“Just like what I’ve said before, the pay’s going to get back to normal as soon as players get back to training,” he told the Inquirer over the phone on Saturday.Marcial is targeting to open mid-June at the latest to have at least two conferences as the league opens with the PH Cup where Barangay Ginebra is the champion. Teams could begin training as early as May 18 in Batangas City where three college gymnasiums are being readied as Marcial meets with the Games and Amusements Board and all team representatives on Monday to lay down the final groundwork that would hopefully get the season rolling.Marcial himself was the one behind the imposition of the 20 percent pay cut as a gesture of thanks to the team owners who kept on doling out salaries even when the league was shelved by the pandemic for months last year.