The PBA Bubble in Clark: The How, When, Where

Assuming that the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on Emerging Infectious Diseases approves, the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) will make its much-awaited return on October 9.

According to the tweet of Pauline Versoza, "The PBA has chosen Clark as the official venue for its bubble. The league is eyeing to hold scrimmages beginning September 27 and will restart official games by October 9" In another tweet, Quinito Henson posted that there will be "doubleheaders seven days a week (and) games (will be) in Angeles University Foundation (airconditioned gym)" 

Incidentally, Angeles University Foundation gym was used for last year's 30th Southeast Asian Games and is ten minutes away from Quest Hotel where players will be staying. 

And like in the National Basketball Association (NBA) bubble in Orlando, there will be virtual fans and each team can bring up to 25 people inside the bubble. 2019 Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) testing will also be conducted in accordance with the rules set by the Department of Health. 

For this year's all-Filipino conference, there will be a single-round robin elimination with the top four finishing teams earning a twice-to-beat advantage in the quarterfinals. The semifinals will be a best-of-five series while the finals will be a best-of-seven series.  The league will be strict in imposing health and safety protocols as players who will not adhere to the protocols, will be fined 100,000 Pesos plus an automatic one-month suspension that the team will impose, on top of a five-game suspension for next season.  

In a dialogue between the league and its players took place on Wednesday, both parties agreed on using the NBA bubble as a model to restart the league's 45th season with PBA Commissioner Willie Marcial saying "All of them (the players) are willing to play in an NBA-type bubble or semi-bubble"