Cignal’s Marck Espejo.
MANILA, Philippines — Spikers’ Turf—the premier men’s club league—is finally returning to action starting on August 30 after being shelved for three years due to the pandemic.
Sports Vision president Ricky Palou bared to Inquirer Sports that their men’s volleyball club league is making its much-anticipated comeback in two weeks at Paco Arena.
Seven teams will clash in the reopening of Spikers’ Turf, bannered by the Marck Espejo-led Cignal HD Spikers, who ruled the Reinforced and Open Conference in 2019.
Air Force, mentored by national team head coach Dante Alinsunurin, is also competing in the tournament, seeking to go all the way after back-to-back runner-up finishes three years ago.
Completing the field are Army, Navy, Sta. Rosa, VNS, and UAAP champion National University-Sta. Elena.
Palou said the Spikers’ Turf is still retaining its status as an amateur league.
“(For now) it’s an amateur league. We also want a professional league for men. That’s why we prefer club teams backed up by a strong company,” he said.
Spikers’ Turf, which was last staged in October 2019, will be the first men’s volleyball league to reopen in the pandemic era, as the UAAP and NCAA didn’t include men’s volleyball in their respective returns last May.