NCAA Season 96 likely to open in November or December

FILE – NCAA Season 95 opening. INQUIRER PHOTO/TRISTAN TAMAYO

MANILA, Philippines—The 96th season of the NCAA will likely begin late in the year instead of the usual July opening, which usually signaled the start of the new collegiate sports season.

NCAA Management Committee chairman Peter Cayco said next season’s opener might be pushed back as late as  November or December with the country still dealing with coronavirus pandemic.

“We may even be into the ‘Ber’ months when we start the season. Maybe we could start at the end of November or in December,” said Cayco in Filipino in a phone conversation with Inquirer.

Cayco, however, stressed that the NCAA will still wait for the recommendations of the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on the opening of classes and the hosting of mass gatherings such as sporting events.

“The opening will be definitely be moved back, we just don’t know when exactly,” said Cayco. “We really can’t say when exactly we can start because we’ll wait for the government’s direction on when classes can start.”

A source, however, said that the “realistic” start for Season 96 could very well be in 2021.

Season 95 was effectively canceled in March aiin accordance with the government’s decision to implement enhanced community quarantine in Luzon to curb the spread of COVID-19.

The ECQ is expected to end on May 15.