By Kristel Satumbaga
Organizers of the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) are looking at three possible venues to hold a competition bubble for the remaining games of the Lakan season once the government approves its request to resume amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
League Commissioner Kenneth Duremdes said Smart Araneta Coliseum, Subic and a private property of Sen. Jinggoy Estrada in Tanay, Rizal are among the venues they are taking into consideration.
The league, which being financed largely by Sen. Manny Pacquiao, has already written the Inter-Agency Task Force asking if it could resume the remaining season, which is already in the semifinal stage.
“Hinihintay na lang namin yung go signal nila, pero with the way things are going naman, doon na rin naman papunta. May mga naka-ready na naman kaming plans,” Duremdes said in Tuesday’s Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum.
“Kaunting games na lang din naman yon, so it’s easy for us to set up a bubble,” he said.
Makati and San Juan City are competing for a spot in the National Finals in the North Division, while Basilan and Davao Occidental are battling in the South Division. Both series are already in the knockout stage of their respective best-of-three affairs.
The National Finals will have a best-of-five format.
MPBL IN DUBAI
Meantime, Duremdes is going international by eyeing a league expansion in Dubai.
The expansion league is tentatively dubbed “MPBL UAE” and it would comprised of seven teams with a similar concept and format from the local league.
It would be an All-Filipino competition.
“It’s a good league and a good concept. Actually, naka-setup na nga sila doon. Hinihintay lang kami,” Duremdes said.
