THE PVL will not be entertaining the prospect of expanding its 12-team field anytime soon.
ZUS Coffee and Capital1 were the two most recent expansion teams in 2024.
READ: Sister-team transfers, 'conduits' barred as PVL introduces trades
Before their additions, the biggest PVL expansion yet took place in the year prior as three new teams in Farm Fresh, Galeries Tower and Nxled joined the league.
But at least for the foreseeable future, they will be the PVL’s last new entrants.
PVL president Ricky Palou explained why 12 is already an adequate number even with interested parties already knocking on the league’s door.
“There are teams that have signified their intention to put up a team and join the PVL,” Palou said during the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum on Tuesday.
“Sa’min kasi, 12 teams is just right. The teams are there and the sponsors are there to get the exposure for their companies.”
Going beyond that number, in Palou’s view, would be a disservice to the PVL franchises as they’d be held to fewer weekly games than the regular once-a-week game schedules for the 12 teams.
“We looked at it and said that if there are 12 teams, every team will play at least one game a week,” said Palou.
“If there are more than 12 teams, there will be weeks where some teams won’t have games, which defeats the purpose of these people, these companies coming in to play in the PVL.”
Waiting for an opening
The only feasible way for an expansion tea to be immediately considered would be in the event of a league withdrawal from one of the 12 active teams.
“We really limited the number of teams to 12. The others will have to wait in case one of the 12 teams that are currently with us will decide to withdraw,” Palou added.
“That’s the opening for them to come in.”
Apart from the five recent expansion teams over the last two years, the rest of the PVL field features Akari, Chery Tiggo, Choco Mucho, Cignal, Creamline, Petro Gazz and PLDT.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
