MANILA, Philippines -- The PBA may return to the Philippine Arena in Bocaue, Bulacan if the Governors' Cup finals goes the distance, league commissioner Willie Marcial said on Monday.
The PBA has not played in the massive venue since the opening of the 2019 PBA Philippine Cup finals. In the 2017 Governors' Cup finals, the PBA attracted a mammoth crowd of 54,086 fans at the venue for Game 7 of the Barangay Ginebra-Meralco finals.
The Gin Kings won that game, 101-96.
It will be Meralco against Ginebra again for the 2021 PBA Governors' Cup finals, which opens on Wednesday at the Araneta Coliseum. The series shifts to the Mall of Asia Arena for Game 2 and 3 on April 8 and 10, before moving back to the Big Dome for Game 4 on April 13.
The schedule for Games 5 and 6 remains to be seen, but Marcial said there is a possibility that the league will return to the Philippine Arena if the series is extended to a deciding seventh game.
"Kung hindi pupwede ang Araneta at MOA sa Game 7, Philippine Arena tayo maglalaro sa Game 7, kung hindi pwede ang Araneta at MOA, lalaro tayo sa Philippine Arena," said Marcial.
Marcial confirmed that they are already in talks with the Philippine Arena regarding the matter.
The PBA has been open to fans since February, and a crowd of over 13,000 watched last March 27 for Game 3 of the semifinals series between Ginebra and NLEX, and Magnolia and Meralco.
Even more fans are expected to show up for the finals, where the Bolts and the Gin Kings are meeting for the fourth time in the last five seasons.
"Ang matutuwa ay mga fans," said Marcial of the upcoming series. "Three years na tayo na hindi nakakapag-live ng finals since 2019, ngayon lang ulit makakapanood ng mga fans."
"Magandang treat sa mga fans, 'di lang makakapanood ng live, Ginebra-Meralco pa ang mapapanood nila. Sa akin, palagay ko, long series," he added.