LAS VEGAS - The Philippine Basketball Association looks back and gives tribute in two nights of fun, fellowship and nostalgia to open Season 50 on Oct. 4 and 5.
Fans day at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, fellowship night at the Meralco Theater, the Leo Awards at Novotel Hotel and the official season kickoff make up the grand opening weekend.
And the fun doesn't end there.
"It's a yearlong celebration with a theme 'Solid Ang Galing, Solid ang Laban.' But the main goal remains to entertain the fans with exciting games and make them happy. We'll go around and bring the PBA closer to the fans," said PBA commissioner Willie Marcial.
Games in New York, Bahrain and Dubai are among matches overseas slated in the three-conference calendar.
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The Philippine Cup will be the opening fare followed by the Governors' Cup (with imports with unlimited height) then the Commissioner's Cup (featuring imports with 6-foot-6 ceiling).
Format is single round robin in the elims with the top four gaining twice-to-beat incentive in the quarterfinals versus the next four. Both the semifinals and the finals will be best-of-seven affairs.
"There will be no more playoff for No. 8 spot. Ties will be resolved by quotient tiebreak," said PBA chairman Ricky Vargas, presiding the league planning session here at the MGM Grand.
The league is also looking to arrange a separate mini-invitational to possibly accommodate a guest team.
"Meron kasing guest team na gustong lumaro sa Philippine Cup. It was turned down by the board since it's All-Filipino. Eastern begged off (to play in the season) while an Indonesian team eh medyo nabitin dahil sa gulo sa kanila at the moment," said Marcial.(SB)
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