NCAA going face-to-face for Season 97

MANILA, Philippines — The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is laying the groundwork for possible face-to-face competitions in men’s basketball and women’s volleyball in an eyed Season 97 launch in January next year.

“This is really rising to the challenge, a motto that we have always embraced in this pandemic,” said NCAA management committee member Peter Cayco of Arellano University.

College of St. Benilde will host the coming season, which targets a start six months earlier than the league’s traditional opening date in July.

The NCAA is currently in talks with the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) with hopes of getting the nod for games to be shown live via television partner GMA Network’s GTV.

CHED advised the league to also seek approval from the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF).

Cayco said they are planning to stage their season at a secure venue outside the National Capital Region (NCR), possibly Subic Bay where it is possible to house hundreds of athletes in a bubble format.

“Our concern is that if we stage it here in Metro Manila, and (COVID-19) cases rise, it would hamper our schedule,” said Cayco.

CHED also offered to vaccinate all the players and coaches joining the bubble although most of the participants have already received jabs.