After successfully completing the 2020 Philippine Cup, the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) is making plans to begin the 2021 season safely.
According to PBA commissioner Willie Marcial, the league is preparing to lift its moratorium on trades from January 4th to January 27th. Marcial told the media that this would allow teams more time to study how they will approach the 2021 PBA draft.
When asked about the 2021 season, Marcial said that the PBA is looking at many factors and learning from other professional basketball leagues, but nothing is stopping the league from continuing preseason activities. The PBA draft is scheduled to take place in a virtual environment on March 14th.
Commissioner Marcial also told the media that the PBA hasn’t decided if they will extend the rookie registration deadline and if they will allow dual citizenship players to enter the draft. The idea of allowing dual-citizenship players to enter the draft has sparked interest across the league and with fans alike following the Indonesian Basketball League’s rule change to allow naturalized citizens.
The PBA previously announced that the 46th basketball season is scheduled to begin on April 9th, to coincide with its founding anniversary. However, commissioner Marcial stressed that the season start date would heavily depend on how the country is handling the coronavirus pandemic by then. Marcial then explained that their players’ and Filipinos’ safety would be their prime consideration in everything they plan.
As the 2021 season start date remains in limbo, many Philippine legal online sports betting sites are offering bonus incentives and NBA betting lines to suffice. Popular online sportsbooks like BetOnline is currently offering a 50% up to USD 1,000 bonus for new accounts. Other sports betting sites that feature Philippine betting lines are offering similar bonus offers.
To make online sports betting on PBA games as convenient as possible, many offshore sites will offer numerous banking methods for Filipino players. Sportsbook banking methods often include bitcoin, visa, MasterCard, skrill, and multiple other services. While bitcoin and altcoins are the most popular options, the other banking methods are available to those who are not so tech-savvy.
As we wait for the PBA to solidify its 2021 season schedule, we can only hope that next year is a better year for sports worldwide. While betting on PBA futures is an option, we will all be better suited for game lines and props, leading us to the Commissioners Cup.
