Source: NCAA mulls 'virtual' Season 96

MANILA, Philippines — The National Collegiate Athletic Association is planning to go “virtual” when it holds its Season 96 in a month or two.

A source told The STAR on Wednesday that they will push through with the season but there’s a chance they would stage everything online amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Already, the country’s oldest collegiate league had already planned to open the season by staging online chess and e-sports late this month before it decided to move it to a later date.

There are also reports that it will hold poomsae, a form event of taekwondo, and some other non-contact events online.

Doing it online means the league might be doing away with the four mandatory sports — basketball, volleyball, track and field and swimming — in a “bubble” atmosphere that require face-to-face encounter. 

“The NCAA is going to be creative this season,” said The STAR insider.

While the UAAP had already cancelled Season 83, the NCAA is not giving up hope of pushing through with its season.

In fact, the league had already prepared an opening ceremony that will be shown by its new television partner GMA Network in its channels and other media platforms.

“GMA had already prepared a song and a hymn for the NCAA opening, which shows the season will push through as scheduled,” said the same source.