TWO conferences. One Conference. Or worse, a cancelled PBA season.
Commissioner Willie Marcial is not discounting the possibility of the entire 2020 season being cancelled as the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) in the country and in the world continues at an alarming rate.
“Lahat ng scenario ibinigay natin kasama na yun (cancelled season),” said Marcial on Good Friday, referring to the emergency online meeting the PBA board held Tuesday to discuss the direction of the season that was called off while still in its infant stage following the outbreak of the pandemic.
“Hindi kasi natin masabi. If ever i-lift na yung ECQ (Enhanced Community Quarantine) by April 30, baka unti-unti lang muna yan. Puwedeng partial lifting lang or puwedeng selective barangay quarantine muna.
“So i-allow na ba noon ng gobyerno ang mass gathering? E kung wala pang go-signal, hindi rin makakalaro ang liga.”
Marcial cited the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) as an example.
The premiere pro league in China suspended play last Feb. 1 as coronavirus cases began to grow in Hubei province, whose capital Wuhan is considered the epicenter of the virus.
The CBA scheduled an April resumption of the season, but then decided to defer it to mid-May.
“Hindi pa rin nga nila sigurado kung matutuloy na sila ng May considering na tapos na yung lockdown sa Wuhan,” Marcial pointed out.
In the US, which has the most number of COVID19- cases at about half a million, a Sta. Clara county executive, Dr. Jeffrey Smith, also gave a grim forecast that sports games in America may not be back until at least Thanksgiving Day, which could be around November yet.
“Kaya mahirap, wala itong katiyakan lahat,” said Marcial.
What was agreed upon during the board meeting was the reduction the season into two conferences – retain the Philippine Cup and then hold one Reinforced Conference – provided everything goes back to normal by June.
A one conference offering is in the offing if the crisis lingers.
“Ang problema paano kung abutin ito ng September? Six months pahinga ang mga teams nun, kaya kailangan magpakundisyon pa ulit ang mga yan. So ano pa matitira sa season natin?” he asked.
The board is again scheduled to meet online by April 30.
Other neighboring leagues like the Korean Basketball League (KBL) and Japan’s B-League already cancelled the rest of their seasons. The B-League had teams leading their respective divisions emerging as winner in their group, while the KBL declared top teams Wonju DB Promy and Seoul SK Knights as co-champions in the regular season.
“Halos pa-playoffs na kasi yung mga liga na ito, kaya talagang tatamaan sila. So mata-tantiya talaga nila kung puwedeng totally cancelled na yung rest of season nila,” said Marcial.
“Tayo kasi sa PBA one game pa lang nalalaro, so mahaba pa talaga 'yung season. Kaya lahat talaga ng posibilidad kailangang i-consider.”
Cancelling the season also has huge repercussions for the league, according to Marcial.
"Ang dami nating kakausapin tungkol diyan. Siyempre yung mga teams mismo. Yung TV coveror natin (TV5), mga sponsors, suppliers," he said.
"Kaya ang hirap," added the commissioner. "Pero sa huli, siyempre yung health ng lahat pa rin ang priority ng liga."
In its long 45-year history, the PBA has not cancelled even a single season, not even during the time when the field was reduced to a six-team cast following the disbandment of rivals Toyota and Crispa.
Perhaps the closest it had gotten to not playing a season came at a tumultuous time three years ago when the PBA board found itself fiercely divided on the tenure of former commissioner Chito Narvasa.
The crisis was aborted when Marcial was thrust into the limelight, initially as officer in carge, and later as permanent commissioner.
Now, the league faces the same catastrophe. Hopefully, Marcial will be able to provide the answer again.
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