96th NCAA season opening likely to be reset

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WILL the virtual 96th NCAA season opening push through next month? That’s unlikely.

According to a highly-reliable Malaya-Business Insight source, the league is likely set to move the online launch of its new season due to the frightening surge in the country’s COVID-19 infections.

“Nag-meeting kami ng GMA (broadcast partner) and naka-lockdown din sila. So, iyong mga team captains hindi makakapunta doon for taping. Sila na ang nag-move (for the resetting),” the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said.

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“Uurong din lahat iyan (online events) kasama ng virtual opening ceremony.”

The country’s oldest collegiate league was set to kick off its new season, set to be hosted by Letran, on May 1 with online disciplines such as chess, taekwondo, and skills events.

The league is also working to get the approval of staging 5-on-5 basketball and beach volleyball tournaments.

Online events will push through, the source assured.

“Iyang online events, tuloy na tuloy na talaga,” the source said.

“Kaya lang minove ng GMA kasi pangit naman na mauna ang events kaysa sa opening, ‘di ba?”

Among the options the NCAA considered was holding its season in a bubble at the Inspire Sports Academy in Calamba, Laguna.

The plan was scrapped due to the whopping P40 million estimated cost and the absence of the green light from the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases, however.

The remainder of the 95th season was called off in March last year at the start of the government-imposed lockdown to stem the spread of the killer pulmonary disease.

Indoor volleyball, football, lawn tennis, soft tennis, track and field, beach volleyball, and cheerleading were cancelled last season.

The Commission on Higher Education released the safety and health guidelines for the resumption of varsity training last October.

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