The wait is finally over as Season 84 of the UAAP began last March 26, 2022, after more than two years of lockdown. The season started with men’s basketball, set to end on May 12 or earlier, depending on the outcome of the Final Four and Finals, with the women's volleyball tournament following shortly after.
Teams have been preparing for this long-awaited moment. The collegiate athletes have been in their respective school bubbles preparing and will continue to do so during the season. For the first round of games, a bubble-to-bubble setup is applied as assigned vehicles will take teams to and from the Mall of Asia Arena.
The season commenced with a pre-recorded opening ceremony, followed by live games right after. The format will still follow the typical double-round elimination, Final Four and best-of-three Finals. A total of four games will be played per day, three times a week (Tuesday-Thursday-Saturday). The tournament will also be a quick one to refrain from keeping the student-athletes inside the bubble for a long time.
All of the participating athletes have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19. In addition, RT-PCR and antigen tests will still be conducted weekly before every game day to prioritize the athletes’ safety. Officials have mentioned that no live crowds or media would be accommodated for the first round, except for the official broadcasting partner of the UAAP. However, there is a high chance that the UAAP will open its doors to a live audience once the second round begins on April 9.
A beacon of hope for aspiring athletes – this is how significant the UAAP and all the other tournaments are; take the recent FIBA World Cup Qualifiers, for example. After two years of playing with a silent crowd, fans were able to cheer for Gilas Pilipinas inside the arena, keeping their spirits and motivation high. All in all, the continuous reinstatement of various sporting events undoubtedly gives the country and athletes hope for a brighter future.
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