Small teams may collapse in long hiatus

MANILA, Philippines — PBA vice chairman Bobby Rosales said the league being idle for eight to 12 months is manageable, but beyond that would pose a “serious problem especially to the small ball clubs.”

As it is, Rosales said the health pandemic has caused a huge impact on the league and its 12 ball clubs, with each team maintaining a monthly payroll between P2 to P5 million despite the league, the business industry and just everything at a standstill.

“It has a heavy impact both on the big and small teams, but much more on the small ones,” Rosales told The STAR.

“I can’t speak for the other teams, pero ang estimate ko, if it’s a period of eight to 12 months, that might be manageable. Over that period, the board would have to sit down and talk because there would be many variables,” added the Columbian Dyip top official.

 The league vice chairman assured, though, that all the teams are coping and amenable to wait until August to make a definitive decision whether to push through with at least one conference in PBA Season 45 or cancel the season altogether.

“We haven’t reached that point (over 12 months) yet and the board is taking it slowly,” said the amiable PBA executive.

He said there would be no problem if the health pandemic is controlled soon and the industry resumes activities.

“Importante na tumakbo uli ang negosyo,” said Rosales.

“Hopefully, the season can resume. But I don’t think it can unless the pandemic is more or less controlled so that the government can relax some restrictions. At this point, the PBA has no choice but to follow the guidelines. Everybody is affected. Moving forward, depende sa pandemic,” he added.

Among the key business players in the country, the PBA teams feel the crunch as everybody does in the industry.

Nonetheless, they are also the major responders, extending a hand and having their respective aids to the frontliners in the fight to curve the coronavirus.

Rosales hopes that things ease to normalcy, allowing the government to relax restrictions and allow some business activities.

“Otherwise, maraming magko-collapse,” he said.

The PBA has been saying they will wait and follow the guidelines and protocol of the government as to the resumption of play.