THE PBA is not discounting the possibility of cancelling the 2020 season, although it admitted that such a move will have financial ramifications on the league.
PBA chairman Ricky Vargas said the league has the option to call off the 2020 season amid the COVID-19 pandemic if it cannot launch a bubble conference within a prescribed time frame, but hopes that won’t happen.
Vargas added the PBA and its teams are already affected financially and such move will only worsen the crisis.
“We do have a time table. If we cannot really get this off the ground and start playing, yes we have considered scrapping Season 45. But that would be a severe financial drain on the teams and on the PBA itself. We are trying very hard not to do that,” said Vargas.
The PBA is now seriously looking at playing in a bubble just so the 12 teams can play in a safe environment. Cubao, Laguna, Clark, Batangas, Subic and even Dubai are being mentioned as possible venues.
“We started talking about the bubble. There is now some openness in that discussion because we need to start somewhere. We need to be able to move and start the PBA to its opening,” said Vargas.
“Maski magkaroon lang kami ng one conference. It is also what Alaska team owner Fred Uytengsu said. Sabi niya, let’s try our very best and we take that challenge. Let’s try our very best to have one conference and then we can move on after that,” said Vargas.
The PBA chairman anticipates the cost of mounting a bubble to run in the millions of pesos, but believes holding a season will benefit the league and the teams financially in the long run.
Vargas said he is banking on the television revenues to defray the cost once play resumed. The PBA chairman added the league is also looking for other sources of revenue from the bubble.
At this time, the ballclubs' share from league earnings have been untouched, Vargas said.
“Ngayon, buo pa ang equity nila [teams]. We’ve been able to manage in the last six months without touching the equity and also without revenues. TV revenues have not been coming in and we’ve been able to manage that," he said.
"Once we start, let’s say in October or when we are ready to start playing a game even without audience, papasok na ‘yung TV revenues. Kapag pumasok ‘yun, that’s a big breather for us,” he added.
“There are already suggestions on how to generate revenues in terms of online advertising and in-court advertising,” Vargas said.
Vargas said holding games will definitely keep the league and teams afloat during the COVID-19 crisis.
“Makapag-umpisa lang. I think revenues will come in to help us sustain our operations and even maski break even lang or maski talo ng konti, okay na ako dun basta equity ng teams, solid at hindi nagagalaw,” said Vargas.
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