Chua bats for Manila bubble play

MANILA, Philippines — Barangay Ginebra governor Alfrancis Chua yesterday batted for the PBA’s staging in Metro Manila after the challenging bubble tournament in Clark last year.

Chua, the concurrent sports director of San Miguel Corp., said the good old Smart Araneta Coliseum and its nearby hotels can do the job for the Season 46 bubble or closed-circuit games this year.

“It’s very hard in the last bubble. I hope next time, if we do a bubble, we’ll do it at Araneta but with everyone allowed to go home. Or if that’s not possible, we can use the hotels nearby,” Chua said in yesterday’s The Chasedown program on Cignal.

“Or we can look for a venue that’s smaller than Araneta if spectators won’t still be allowed.  At least we’re in Metro Manila. In case there’s an emergency, it’s a lot closer,” he added.

The pro league successfully conducted its Season 45 Philippine Cup using a full bubble in Clark for over two months. The delegates stayed at Quest Hotel inside the Freeport zone and the games were held at AUF Sports Arena over in Angeles City.

For this year, the PBA is considering the closed circuit concept, where participants will follow a strict home-stadium-home routine.

“Our thinking in the board is because the first bubble was successful, maybe we can also do it here (Metro Manila),” said Chua.

He expressed belief it would be difficult to get the teams back to full isolation outside of NCR, especially if the league holds two conferences for Season 46 over an extended period of six or seven months.

“My concern is that the players have already gotten used again to life outside the bubble after leaving the first bubble. It will now be hard to send them back in,” he said.

The PBA expects to come up with a more detailed plan by next month.