PVL staging another All-Filipino conference for season-ender
FILE–Creamline Cool Smashers win PVL All-Filipino Conference title. –PVL PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — The Premier Volleyball League (PVL) is staging another All-Filipino Conference to cap the 2023 season from October to December as it failed to get a clearance from the FIVB to tap imports.
Petro Gazz will have to wait before defending its Reinforced Conference title as PVL president Ricky Palou bared that the Philippine National Volleyball Federation informed them that the FIVB didn’t allow them to get International Transfer Certificates (ITCs) for the foreign guest players.
“We will have a third conference but this time it will be back to the All-Filipino kasi hindi nga nakakuha ng ITC, according to the PNVF president Mr. [Tats] Suzara, the FIVB is blocking our request for ITCs. So we’re we’re going to proceed with it [third conference] but All-Filipino,” Palou told reporters.
Last June, the PNVF wrote a letter to the PVL regarding its operation of the league without due authorization within what the FIVB calls the National Team period from May 16 to October 15, wherein national team competitions take precedence.
Among PNVF’s recommendations is to refrain “from contracting foreign quest players requiring to undergo the ITC procedure for 2023.”
Suzara said during the country’s hosting of the Volleyball Nations League last month that the PVL can push “if they’re not tapping foreign players, PNVF will not call their attention.”
PVL president Ricky Palou (right). –PVL PHOTO
Palou said they will stage the Reinforced Conference next year as the third conference, believing it is hard to tap imports every first quarter of the year.
“We probably have to reschedule it for the third conference next year. If we hold it in the first conference January or February, the teams will have a hard time getting imports kasi naka-book na lahat ‘yan ‘di ba? Most of the tournaments abroad are from October to May,” he said. “So mahihirapan na sila maka-book ng imports. We will again move it to the third conference.”
With the 11 club teams agreeing to play another All-Filipino, Creamline, which lost to Japan’s Kurashiki Ablaze in the Invitational Conference final over the weekend, will defend its title from the first conference last March.
The PVL chief bared that there is a possibility that it will be a 12-team field with inquiries from companies interest in joining the volleyball scene. The league recently welcomed newcomers Foton, Gerflor, and Farm Fresh into the fold.
“Wala pang maliwanag pero I think itong third conference magiging 12 teams in total. We are still trying to find out kung sino pero mayroon nang nagpapadala ng fillers kung pwede bang sumali. Sabi ko, pwede. Depende sa inyo what’s your long-term plan,” Palou said. “Our condition for the teams who want to join is they’re supposed to stay with us for the long term, hindi ‘yung labas-pasok, labas-pasok. Ang gusto namin you come in, you play for years, you stay with is for years, you play in all conferences. Most probably magiging dose tayo.”
The second All-Filipino Conference will start either October 16 or 17 with the teams clashing in a single round-robin elimination round. The top four will advance to the best-of-three semifinals, while the finalists will clash in another race-to-two series for the championship.
The league is eyeing getting more playing dates at Smart Araneta Coliseum and Mall of Asia Arena, while Philsports Arena will continue to host its matches.
