'Get-In-Play-Get-Out' scheme sought for Superliga games

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine Superliga (PSL) eyes a strict “Get-In-Play-Get-Out” concept from a single venue in a city with low virus infection risk if given a chance by government agencies to stage the 2020 All-Filipino Conference hopefully in October.

Though it's not be an exact bubble-type set-up like the NBA and international leagues are doing, the PSL said that this regulation requiring players to follow a closed home-to-venue-and-back circuit would definitely put premium on everyone’s safety pending a go-signal to resume soon.

“In case we get a green light to have competition under Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ), we’ll find one venue in a low risk city where all teams will get there on their own following a Get-in-Play-Get-Out regulation that we will imposed,” PSL operations director Ariel Paredes told The STAR.

Under the said policy, all players and staff should come into the venue with their uniforms on already. They will not be permitted to use locker rooms and are required to go home right away after the games instead.

Any pre- and post-game activities are also not allowed.

But the PSL must secure a clearance first for its teams to return to training before ironing out those plans on games resumption.

After a productive meeting with Department of Health, Games and Amusement Board and the Philippine Sports Commission, Paredes said they are hopeful of training next month with most of its eight teams having their own private practice gyms.

“There are only two or three teams not having their own practice venues but they have long-term agreements on gyms they’re renting so we have high hopes of getting approval for training restart,” he added as the PSL is set with another meeting with said agencies this week for the alignment of guidelines.