Why the UAAP decided to stage only 7 events in Season 84

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 24) — There will only be seven events in the upcoming 84th season of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP).

UAAP president Nonong Calanog of host school De La Salle University said a quick tournament schedule was the primary consideration in picking what sport to include in the coming season.

“Those sports actually have very short tournament formats. One day, two days and three days, and very few participants. Those were the actual criteria we set to decide on which sports to run,” he said during a press conference Wednesday.

Men’s basketball will kick off the athletic calendar on March 26 at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.

Women’s volleyball, men’s beach volleyball, men’s and women’s 3×3 basketball, men’s and women’s chess, men’s and women’s taekwondo (poomsae), and the cheerdance competition are also tabled for this season.

UAAP executive director Rebo Saguisag said they had a difficult time in choosing which sports to include.

“We were left with a choice between bad to worse. It’s not an easy decision,” the league official said. “First of all, we had our contractual obligations also to our partners.”

All games in Season 84 will be played behind closed doors, but the UAAP is eyeing to allow fans to watch live by the second round of the men’s basketball next month.

The eight participating schools will be under a bubble setup where athletes will be billeted in campuses and transported to their sporting venues.

Among the sports which have become more popular through the years but were not included this season were women’s basketball, men’s volleyball, and football.

Saguisag assured that UAAP officials would do whatever they can to bring all the sports back in Season 85, which will be hosted by Adamson University and is planned to begin by September or October.

“Hopefully we will make up to it in the seasons to come,” he said.

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