THE Premier Volleyball League (PVL) is set to break new ground in its third season as a pro league by holding its first-ever rookie draft.
The inaugural drafting process is driven by the PVL’s pursuit of building a structured pathway for up-and-coming stars to enter the league while improving competitive balance across the board.
READ: PVL rookie salaries range from P150,000 for No. 1 pick to P50,000 minimum
In addition, circumventing bidding wars among the 12-team field was a prime consideration in institutionalizing the draft alongside the goal of establishing a stable system for player acquisitions moving forward.
Here’s all you need to know ahead of another historic first for the PVL.
47 aspirants to test luck on draft night
A total of 47 aspirants from across the nation and overseas will soon learn their PVL fate in the draft night ceremony on July 8 at Novotel Manila Araneta City.
UAAP and NCAA stars are joined by provincial-based talents and Fil-foreign standouts to form the maiden draft pool.
Leading the way is one who has long been deemed the consensus No. 1 overall pick — no other than two-time UAAP best middle blocker, UAAP champion with La Salle and Alas Pilipinas standout Thea Gagate.
“Of course, I’m very honored na ako ‘yung first choice nila (ZUS Coffee) and I’m grateful for it. Sobra. I just hope na I will go there soon,” said Gagate.
“For my part, I’ll just really do my best na matulungan ‘yung team na umangat ‘yung ranking nila sa PVL. There’s always gonna be pressure, but I’ll put that aside and just focus on working hard on myself and I’ll be good.”
Drafting order, from 1 to the end
Following the first-ever PVL Rookie Draft Lottery, ZUS Coffee (formerly Strong Group Athletics) will pick first in the draft.
They will then be followed by Capital1 at No. 2, Galeries Tower at No. 3 and Farm Fresh to round out the first four selections.
From there, the top eight teams of the season-opening PVL All-Filipino Conference were sorted in reverse order to set the drafting field for the No. 5 to No. 12 picks in Round 1.
The drafting order from the top four onwards proceeds as follows: Nxled (5th), Akari (6th), Cignal (7th), PLDT (8th), Chery Tiggo (9th), Petro Gazz (10th), Choco Mucho (11th), and reigning champion Creamline (12th).
Entering Round 2 until all teams have opted to pass, the same drafting order from No. 1 to No. 12 will be followed, which means that ZUS Coffee will take the 13th pick, Capital1 with the 14th pick and so on.
Contract offers on the table
As confirmed by PVL commissioner Sherwin Malonzo to SPIN.ph, a ‘rookie salary scale’ will take effect following the inaugural draft as the league takes its first steps towards the implementation of a league-wide salary cap.
“For the salary cap, we initially have a rookie salary scale. No caps yet for the veteran players. The minimum is P50,000 but the ceiling differs,” said Malonzo.
On the table for the No. 1 overall draft pick is P150,000, followed by P135,000 for the No. 2 pick, P120,000 for the third pick and P110,000 for the fourth pick.
The remaining first-rounders drafted fifth to 12th will receive offers ranging from P50,000 to P100,000.
Every succeeding draft pick from the second round onwards, as well as rookie free agents who will go undrafted, are entitled to offers from P50,000 to P80,000.
Such offer ranges, as stated by Malonzo, ‘do not include allowances and bonuses.’
Big changes and even bigger dreams will turn into reality when the PVL Rookie Draft takes place on July 8 at Novotel Manila Araneta City.
A pre-draft red carpet event will stream live at 6 p.m. via Pilipinas Live, with the draft proper to be aired 7 p.m. on One Sports and One Sports+.
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