MANILA – After being out of action for more than a year due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) will resume action on April 10.
PVL President Ricky Palou said the league, which recently turned professional, was saddened not to deliver matches to Filipino volleyball fans last year but is optimistic of the resumption this year.
The PVL last held a match on Nov. 9, 2019, where the Creamline Cool Smashers, led by MVP awardee Jessica Galanza, completed a 20-match sweep of the Open Conference.
“For 2021 we are confident that we will be able to bring games to the fans. The only positive thing that happened in 2020 was our decision to turn the PVL into a professional league,” Palou said in an interview with Spin.ph.
“We’re hoping that we’ll make the game of volleyball more prominent and that being the case we’re hoping it will inspire more kids to take up the sport of volleyball,” the PVL official added.
To ensure the safety of the players from COVID-19, Palou said the PVL plans to hold the Open Conference under a bubble format at Inspire Academy in Calamba, Laguna.
“We were really very happy that the Games and Amusements Board accepted us to become professional and of course with the teams’ approval,” PVL Commissioner Tony Liao said for his part.
Initially, the PVL hoped to stage a tournament in February or March, but decided to avoid holding events while the country hosts the Fiba Asia Qualifiers.
“Our original schedule was February or March but we didn’t want to compete with basketball baka magkaproblema pa ‘di ba because the SBP is having an international tournament here sometime in February,” Palou said.
The PVL has eight teams in the Cool Smashers, Choco Mucho, Perlas Spikers, Motolite, BaliPure, Chef’s Classic, and Petro Gazz Angels. The Air Force and Army are expected to play as guest teams./PN
