He added that it is doubtful that there would be enough overseas talent willing to risk and take their acts in the country with no vaccine yet available for COVID-19.
If and when play gets to restart, the PBA chief said the Philippine Cup is really the best option for the league to take.
"Kapag nagsimula ito (season) within this year, all-Filipino tayo, Yun ang logical na dapat nating gawin," said Marcial, who has for the past weeks been working on getting the league ready should the IATF (Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases) gives its approval for teams to start training by small groups.
"At palagay ko papayag ang mga governors kasi ang hirap nga, baka ang mga imports hindi pumunta."
If ever, it will mark the first time in the long history of Asia’s first ever pro league that no imports will see action for an entire season.
During the economic crisis in 1984, the PBA held back-to-back All-Filipino conferences in an effort to help teams cut on their respective operating expenses.
However, after seeing how gate attendance suffered, the PBA Board eventually relented on bringing the imports back in time for the Invitational Championship, which served as the final conference of the season.
The 2020 PBA All-Star Weekend is also expexted to be reset next year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Sigurado 'yun na postponed kasi one conference na lang tayo dahil magbobotohan pa tayo, kakausapin pa natin 'yung venue. Katulad nung venue, papayag ba ‘yung venue na pumunta by September or October. At '‘yung mga venues sa probinsya, ginagamit din nila para sa COVID eh."
"As of now, cancelled ang All-Star. Ire-resume natin next year," said Marcial during the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum.
Passi, Iloilo was supposed to be the host of this year's All-Star game.
No comments:
Post a Comment