Dubai group offers to host PBA season opener games

TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

A group in Dubai has reportedly expressed interest in opening its doors again to host the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Season 46 Philippine Cup in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). League insiders have confirmed that the same group that hosted the PBA games in 2019 is offering itself once more to stage the season opener this year.

While this might be a long shot, it’s not entirely new and impossible for the pro league to accept the offer. In October 2019, the Governors’ Cup was held at the Coca-Cola Arena in City Walk, Dubai with games featuring crowd darlings Barangay Ginebra, San Miguel Beer and NLEX.

Last year, that same group also sent a proposal to the PBA to host the Season 46 bubble. The league, however, thumbed down the idea due to time constraints. In particular, the offer came in September and the league wanted to resume play by October.

The Coca-Cola Arena was among the 20 venues that bid for the hosting of the bubble, which was eventually awarded to Clark, Pampanga. The bubble play was held for two months that saw Ginebra emerge as the new Philippine Cup kings. Still, the league greatly appreciated the offer, and Dubai very much remains an option for them.

Commissioner Willie Marcial said back then that they might discuss bringing the All-Star festivities there in the future. Until now, Asia’s pioneering pro league has not finalized yet the opening date and schedule for the Philippine Cup that has been delayed due to the prevailing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Earlier, Marcial said that the league is now looking at a potential June opening — still with a two-conference format — after the implementation of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) and modified ECQ prevented them from an initial April 18 start. “I think we can start by the first week of June depending on the situation and the result of our meetings,” said Marcial as he remained optimistic the PBA could hold an All-Filipino and an import-laden second conference this year despite the rising COVID-19 cases.

The governors are still evaluating whether the league will again go into a bubble or a closed-circuit environment (home-gym-home). A local government unit (LGU) is also offering itself as host of the Philippine Cup. With Clark, Pampanga — the place where the PBA held its 2020 Philippine Cup bubble — looking unavailable as it will host the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers set from June 16 to 20, the PBA is looking at other options, if and when it decides to hold another bubble.