PBA to decide Season 45 fate by August

PBA fans will have to wait three more months on whether the season will still push through or not. PBA Media Group (file photo)

By Ivan Saldajeno

MANILA--The PBA will make its final act regarding the resumption of its 45th season by August.

The said decision was agreed upon by its board of governors after an online meeting on Saturday.

"Maghihintay kami until August to decide whether it's still a go or a season cancellation," Commissioner Willie Marcial, who also joined the said meeting, said at the conclusion of the two-hour conference call.

The decision was made following the government's new guidelines regarding the lockdowns imposed during the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.

The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases kept mass sports gatherings among activities that are still not allowed regardless on whether a province is under an enhanced community quarantine or a general community quarantine.

[Related Story: Sports events likely still not allowed in PH even during GCQ]

Metro Manila is expected to have its status "downgraded" to GCQ by May 16 barring an announcement from President Rodrigo Duterte that will keep the said province under ECQ.

On the other hand, a study in Singapore using artificial intelligence projected the Philippines to fully put COVID-19 under control by early July, which may mean the PBA board will have a full month to monitor the situation by then.

After an online meeting last month, the PBA board bared that the season could either be just a two-conference event or a single tournament should it decide to still push through with it.

[Related Story: Shortened PBA season now in place after online board meeting]

However, with the latest development, the possibility of just holding a single season tourney, assuming the league moves to push through, is now looming.

Follow him on Twitter: @IvanSaldajeno