TV5 to launch women’s volleyball pro league

TV5, which is making waves with its unique repackaging of the PBA coverage, announced plans to launch a professional women’s volleyball league next year in a bid to further boost the sport’s popularity and increase the country’s talent pool.

“We used to be champions in the region in volleyball and with a league that will allow players to continue honing their skills even after their college years, this could help bring the country back to those years,” TV5 executive vice president and chief operating officer Bobby Barreiro told the Inquirer yesterday.

The league will be called the Premier Volleyball League and will hold an Invitational tournament in January next year. Barreiro said he does not see it competing with the popular Shakey’s V-League, which caters more to the collegiate scene.

“We recognize that players have nowhere to go to once their college career is over,” Barreiro added. “So we’re trying to fill the continuity void”

Barreiro and TV5 sports manager Vitto Lazatin revealed that several teams have already expressed interest to join the PVL.

Meanwhile, TV5 continues in its goal of fully engaging basketball fans by launching a second screen application aimed at giving hoop junkies the ultimate game experience.

The PBA app will be available on Android phones and will give fans access to real-time statistics of a live game.

“Our objective has always been to engage fans, to make sports more interactive so that we provide a different kind of entertainment,” said Barreiro.

“Whether you’re watching live or watching the game on TV, once you access the app, you’ll have every statistic available in real time,” added Lazatin.