National basketball league to begin in July with no spectators
By Hoang Nguyen
The national VBA basketball league is set to begin in July with strict measures to guarantee pandemic safety.
The champions of VBA 2020 Saigon Heat. Photo courtesy of Vietnam Basketball Association.
VBA games will take place solely at the gymnasium of Nha Trang University in the central Khanh Hoa Province instead of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City as initially planned. The league will start on July 10 and conclude on Sept. 20.
Amid the ongoing Covid-19 wave in Vietnam, VBA organizers will apply strict regulations for the league. All games will be played without spectators. People allowed inside the gymnasium are players, coaching staff, referees, sponsors, partners and organizers. All will be under strict medical monitoring during the tournament.
The measures will be applied until the Covid-19 situation in Vietnam is controlled and with approval from authorities. Only then will VBA consider to let spectators attend games.
Fans can still watch all games live on local sports channels or rewatch them via VBA’s official YouTube channel.
VBA 2021 was supposed to start on June 4, but the date was pushed back due to the new wave of Covid-19 in the country. The pre-season tournament, Tip-Off Cup, was also canceled.
Eight pro basketball teams will participate in this season, including the national squad.