UAAP Season 88 host UST is already planning ahead for impending venue and scheduling woes due to the FIVB World Championships and the SEA Games later this year.
The University of Santo Tomas is bracing for some expected venue and schedule woes for the first semester sports of UAAP Season 88, as the España-based school took over hosting duties from the University of the Philippines at the closing ceremonies of UAAP Season 87 on Tuesday.
With the FIVB Men’s World Championships slated for September, which will utilize most of Metro Manila’s sporting venues such as the Smart Araneta Coliseum and the Mall of Asia Arena as playing venues, the UAAP will be left to adjust.
For UST Institute of Physical Education and Athletics Director Fr. Rodel Cansancio, the challenge will have a unique solution, with some games and the opening ceremonies to be hosted in campus at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion.
“Tinitingnan namin yung first week of the season kasi we are planning to hold the opening on a weekday," said Cansancio, also the UAAP Season 88 president.
"So yung first week of the basketball tournament, since hindi available yung Araneta at MOA, we are looking at either UST (Quadricentennial Pavilion Arena) and Ateneo (Blue Eagle Gym) for the games during that time."
Apart from MOA Arena and the Big Dome, the Playtime Filoil Centre, PhilSports Arena, Rizal Memorial Coliseum, and Ninoy Aquino Stadium will also be used as training venues for the FIVB men’s teams.
The tournament is expected to use the venues for most of September, which traditionally is the month that the UAAP starts.
Meanwhile, other impending issues include the 33rd Southeast Asian Games, which will unfurl in December in Thailand.
While venues won’t be a problem, the men’s basketball season will coincide with preparations for the biennial tiff, which may hamper the availability of select athletes for the national team, most notably Gilas Pilipinas.
However, UAAP Executive Director Atty. Rebo Saguisag maintained that the league is open to adjusting its calendar, and will also maintain close conversation with National Sports Associations to ensure a beneficial set-up for all parties involved.
"Syempre, hindi naman kami galaw nang galaw on the fly, pero there are ways. We have open lines with the respective NSAs and suffice it to say na we have done this before—yung compressed schedule—if it comes to that. There are ways naman around it. With the able leadership of the Royal, Pontifical, and Catholic institution that UST is, maitatawid natin ’yon," he said.