THE PBA will be resuming its 2021 season in the historic Pampanga town of Bacolor by September 1, and it only has its players to thank for it.
The initiative to restart the Philippine Cup came from a group of team captains who met virtually at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic and, after coming into an agreement that they all want to play again, took matters into their own hands.
The group, led by Barangay Ginebra veteran guard LA Tenorio and composed of the team captains of the 12 member teams, then met with Willie Marcial and came up with a proposal that stunned the league commissioner.
The players offered to shoulder their own expenses, from accommodations to food, just to get the league going in a semi-bubble format out of town.
"Nagpapasalamat talaga ako sa kanila," said Marcial on Thursday. "Sa kanila nanggaling ang initiative. Sabi sa akin ni LA, 'Kom, payag kaming mga players na kami na ang sasagot ng aming accommodation at pagkain."
Marcial's memory was a bit blurry, but he remembered seeing NorthPort's Sean Anthony, NLEX's Kiefer Ravena, Rain or Shine's Gabe Norwood, San Miguel's Chris Ross, Magnolia's Paul Lee, and Alaska's Kevin Racal in the meeting.
Not all of the players were enthusiastic about the plan, with a few openly voicing their opposition on social media.
But the offer got the ball rolling on a semi-bubble at the Don Honorio Ventura State University that the PBA can no longer afford to shoulder in full after spending P70 million for last season's bubble season at Clark.
PBA coffers dry up
Sources said league funds have dried up during the months of inactivity and another bubble season similar to last season's would've required the 12 member teams coughing up millions more for their ballclubs at a time when revenue is slow.
"Wala naman pumapasok na pera," said the source.
Now, the pro league is days away from resuming action under a set-up that will have the PBA teams either booked in hotels or renting villas in Pampanga, at least until quarantine classifications allow a return to Manila.
League insiders bared the players will not be shouldering everything like they volunteered to do, with most of the teams ending up paying for accommodations. But players are still chipping in.
Take NLEX for example. The team has rented villas inside the Clark Freeport and Economic Zone and players and coaches chip in for food and other necessities, with the top-salaried stars covering a bigger slice of the pie.
"It's their way of giving back," said Marcial.
Well done.
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