The initial forecasted date was December 10 or 15 but PBA decided to move later than planned due to the delayed swab testing of teams.

“‘Yun nga, dapat matatapos tayo December 10 or 13, baka 15 o 18 na. So na-adjust lahat. Na-adjust pati ‘yung dulo,” Commissioner Willie Marcial said in an online press conference last Thursday.

The 12-teams will set to leave for swab testing on September 28 and 29 for the first and second batch where it was initially planned to happen last September 23 and 24.

Nonetheless, teams under the SMC group were able to have their testing done earlier such as Magnolia, San Miguel, and Ginebra.

Commissioner Willie Marcial shared at the start of September that teams will have to play head and butt for four or five days a week but was also shifted to seven days a week.

“Wala nang Linggo-Linggo sa’tin, wala nang Biyernes-Biyernes. Kasi wala namang mga fans e. Sigurado lahat ng tao manonood sa’tin,” he shared.

This bubble tourney will be totally different from the traditional ones in which there will be no fans to watch the game physically as it will be televised.

“May nagsabi nga sa’kin, ‘Comm, lagay natin Clasico sa November 1.’ Bakit pa? may manonood na sigurado sa November 1. Ilagay natin sa hindi naman November 1,” he said to point out his reasoning.

He added that games will start at 4 pm which will end by 9 or so with a 1-hour gap-disinfection break for every game.

“Magsisimula tayo alas-kuwatro, matatapos tayo ng 6. May gap ng isang oras para mag-disinfect. By 7 magsisimula na tayo, by 9 or 9:30 tapos na tayo.”

The Schedule of games will be released five days before the restart of the league.

While the top four teams will contest at the end of the elimination round securing a twice-to-beat advantage for the quarterfinals.

And semis will be a best-of-five series, then will head on to wrestle for the Philippine Cup championship in a best-of-seven playoff.