Philippine sports fans can finally relax and enjoy some PBA basketball this weekend after the IATF has approved the league’s plan to resume the 2020 season inside a bubble.
Earlier this week, the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) released its official schedule for the 2020 PBA Philippine Cup. The games will all occur in Clark, Pampanga, where one court is already in place, and another practice facility is currently being built. Players will be confined to their rooms at Quest Hotel until they are cleared to play. The CNN Philippines video below shows what life inside the bubble will be like for the next couple of months.
As indicated by the schedule release below, the Philippine Cup will resume on Sunday, October 11th, with two scheduled games: TNT Tropang GIGA vs. Alaska Aces, and NLEX Road Warriors vs. Barangay Ginebra San Miguel.
Here’s the 2020 PBA Bubble Elims Schedule 👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼#PBATuloyAngLaban pic.twitter.com/S3rfzfG0sH
— PBA (@pbaconnect) October 6, 2020
Before the PBA Philippine Cup was shut down out of concerns for the coronavirus, one game was played between San Miguel Beermen and Magnolia Hotshots. The Beermen won the game 94-78. This game will count towards the tournament, as indicated in the schedule above.
PBA fans have been waiting for this tip-off since March, and even though the virus is still lingering in the country, fans are confident that the league is taking every precaution necessary to guarantee safe play.
In addition to resuming the tournament, bettors will be happy to see action return to legal Philippine online sportsbooks after months without any betting lines. While popular alternative options like NBA playoffs and other international basketball leagues have seen futures, and more recently, game lines, PBA fans have been left in the dark as uncertainly surrounded the league and its inevitable return.
Betting on the PBA Philippine Cup is only offered from offshore sites operating online and outside of the Philippines as local gambling laws strictly forbids betting on domestic sporting events. This obscure gambling law is a blessing in disguise for many Filipino bettors as online sites are convenient and offer more betting lines than traditional brick-and-mortar sports betting locations. Currently, odds are not available for the 2020 PBA Philippine Cup, but we expect to see them available at the best Filipino betting sites very soon.
Tune in to see if the San Miguel Beerman can win six Philippine Cup tournaments in a row. All Philippine Cup games will be broadcast on ONE Sports and PBA Rush with live streams available at ESPN5.com.
