THE PBA will start accepting fans at the Smart Araneta Coliseum by Wednesday in time for the highly-awaited showdown between San Miguel and TNT Tropang Giga.
Commissioner Willie Marcial made the formal announcement Saturday as cases of COVID-19 in the NCR Plus continues to decline, while assuring that 100 percent of all players and team personnel are already vaccinated.
The league last played with an audience on Dec. 26 before it went on a break that lasted more than a month following the sudden spike of the COVID-19 Omicron variant after the holiday season.
“Starting Wednesday, puwede na ulit ang mga fans, puwede na kayong bumili sa Ticket Net, nakausap ko na rin ang Araneta Coliseum kanina at green and go na rin sila,” said the commissioner at halftime of the NorthPort-Rain or Shine Governors’ Cup game.
With Metro Manila possibly being placed under Alert Level 1 in the coming days, Marcial said the league could likely be allowed to accept 70 percent of live audience at the Big Dome.
Under Alert Level 2, only 50 percent of fans are accepted inside the playing venue.
“Nung Alert level 2 bago tayo nag-break, 50 percent ang allowed,” said Marcial. “So balita natin mag-a-Alert Level 1, baka naman tayo payagang mag-70 percent or kung papayagan na tayong mag-100 percent.”
Ticket prices remain at 50 percent discounted, added the commissioner.
League-leader Magnolia takes on NLEX in the first game of Wednesday’s doubleheader.
Previous protocols for fans will remain, meaning they should be fully vaccinated, and need to bring their respective vaccination card plus personal identification card to be allowed inside the venue.
