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| The PhilSports Arena is keeping its "futsal mode" for the foreseeable future. Luis Fabregar (file photo) |
MANILA--Do not be surprised if you do not see the PhilSports Arena in Pasig hosting a major basketball event for the next few months.
Philippine Sports Commission chairman Pato Gregorio said on Thursday that the arena, more popularly known by its former name The ULTRA, is keeping the setup used for last year's FIFA Futsal Women's World Cup for now.
"Pumunta kayo ngayon. Hanggang ngayon, futsal yun. That's why I'm pressuring futsal to do something so that tuluy-tuloy yung excitement natin," Gregorio said after he hosted a tour of the ongoing refurbishing of the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex for the media ahead of the Philippine Women's Open next week.
He added that he is not a fan of taking out improvements to existing sports infrastructures that have already been placed.
As an example, Gregorio said that the bleachers built for the center court that the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center will use for the Philippine Women's Open will now be a permanent fixture.
"It is too nice to be dismantled. Let's give an opportunity to our kababayans to watch world-class tennis all the time," Gregorio further said, adding that he will talk with tennis secretary general John Rey Tiangco to discuss future plans for the said venue after the WTA 125 event.
The PhilSports Arena was refurbished to adhere to the FIFA standard for a major futsal arena, and it can also be used for floorball events.
"I'm giving football and floorball an opportunity to really push futsal and floorball," Gregorio continued.
He added that the surplus of arenas that can be used for big-time basketball games also factored into his decision not to put the PhilSports Arena back into basketball mode for now.
"Marami namang basketball courts na. Nagagamit naman nila yung Ninoy Aquino (Stadium), so let us give an opportunity to the other sports to grow," Gregorio further said.
With the PhilSports Arena being readied for the FIFA Futsal Women's World Cup, the PBA did not hold games at the said venue during the early stages of the Philippine Cup.
However, even if the Philippines' first-ever FIFA World Cup hosting concluded on Dec. 7, the PBA still never got to schedule games at the league's former major playground during the late 80s and early 90s.
