The Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) will hold its pre-season from the first week of February until the second week of March this year.

Newly appointed MPBL commissioner Emmer Oreta said that founder Manny Pacquiao decided to stage the tournament to allow participating teams to evaluate and improve their rosters before the start of the Eighth Season of the country’s top regional professional league.

Oreta, the MPBL's head of operations before being promoted by Pacquiao on Friday, said there will be no entry fee, with free uniforms being worked out for the players and staff. To minimize expenses, the games will be held within Metro Manila.

Furthermore, the tournament fee of the pre-season finalists will be waived for the regular season. Those advancing to the playoffs will be getting a 50-percent discount.

MPBL chief executive officer Joe Ramos said the plan is to try new technical rules and new officials as well as allow league sponsors to test their activities.

Teams were given until Wednesday midnight to submit their intent to join the pre-season with the rules, guidelines and schedule to be finalized by the end of the week.

Also attending the meeting that was held via Zoom over the weekend were former commissioner and now president Kenneth Duremdes as well as representatives of all 30 teams.