Owners agree to offer annual contracts to PSL players

Starting next year, the Philippine Superliga will require teams to bind all their players to annual contracts that, among other things, will prevent them from playing in any other league not sanctioned by PSL.

Owners and managers of PSL teams have approved the plan in principle ahead of the league’s 2016 planning session on Nov. 11, according to PSL president Ramon “Tats” Suzara.

The plan calls for teams to sign players to contracts that would also ensure they get paid monthly salaries all year. Under the existing practice, players are only paid during tournaments.

Players get a minimum of P15,000 a month during tournaments, although there’s no stopping teams from paying extra to their stalwarts.
Dindin Manabat, Michele Gumabao, Jaja Santiago and Aby Maraño are said to be among players who get more than P15,000 from their teams.

The PSL is also planning a full schedule next year with three conferences plus two beach volleyball tournaments.

The plan would prevent players from shuttling between the Superliga and the equally popular Shakey’s V-League whose schedules overlap.

Currently, there are three players in PSL who also see action in SVL namely Petron’s Aby Marano, Mina Aganon and Jen Reyes. Marano plays for Army, while Aganon and Reyes suit up for Kia in SVL.

The move was also an offshoot of the recent incident involving Petron players Erica Adachi, Rupia Inck and Fille Cayetano who played in a beach tourney in La Union which was outside PSL jurisdiction.

The league decided not to mete sanctions against the players who were reportedly just given stern warning.