DUE to its commitment to support the Gilas Pilipinas campaign in the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers in November and the East Asia Super League (EASL) home-and-away games, the PBA Season 49 Governor’s Cup will be played six times a week starting this Sunday, Aug. 18.

After the season-opening game between newly-crowned PBA Philippine Cup champion Meralco and Magnolia at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Sunday, the league resumes with a doubleheader pitting Blackwater Elite and Rain or Shine at 5 p.m. and NorthPort and TNT at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday.

The following day, Converge and Terrafirma will square off at 5 p.m., and Phoenix and San Miguel will collide in the second game at 7:30 p.m.

On Thursday, NLEX open its season against Blackwater at 5 p.m. before TNT and Meralco clash at 7:30 p.m.

Friday night games will see Terrafirma against NorthPort at 5 p.m. and Magnolia against Converge at 7:30 p.m.

Barangay Ginebra will begin its season with a game against Rain or Shine in an out-of-town game at the Candon City Arena on Saturday.

The PBA concludeds its first week with another doubleheader pitting against NLEX and Blackwater against San Miguel on Aug. 25.

Action will shift to the Ninoy Aquino Stadium in Manila on Aug. 28 with a doubleheader featuring Meralco and Terrafirma at 5 p.m. and NLEX and Rain or Shine at 7:30 p.m.

The PBA will have another out-of-town sortie on Saturday Aug. 31 at the Aquilino Pimentel International Convention Center in Cagayan De Oro with a game between the Beermen and the Road Warriors.

The following Saturday, Sept. 7, the Bolts and the Hotshots will face off again, this time at the Panabo City gym.

The elimination round will run until Sept. 23 at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

PBA Commissioner Willie Marcial said regular schedule will return to normal in the playoffs.

“Magiging six times a week na tayo because of Gilas and EASL. Pero kung hindi ako nagkakamali, isang buwan lang naman, tapos balik ulit tayo sa dati,”said Marcial.

Based on the new format, teams will be divided into two groups of six, where they will face one another twice to make up the 10 elimination games to be played.

In Group A are TNT, Meralco, Magnolia, NorthPort, Terrafirma and Converge.

Making up Group B are Barangay Ginebra, San Miguel Beer, Rain or Shine , NLEX, Phoenix, and Blackwater.

The top four finishers of each group will advance to the best-of-five crossover quarterfinals.

The semifinals and finals will be played in a seven-game series.