THE PVL will not allow the proposed merger between Petro Gazz and Nxled to push through.
League chairman Tony Boy Liao laid out the possible ramifications and alternative routes the Angels and Chameleons must now consider as the countdown to the 2026 season enters its final weeks.
According to Liao, the league’s position is non-negotiable: should Petro Gazz ultimately opt for disbandment, its remaining players cannot be absorbed wholesale by Nxled.
READ: Rumored Nxled-Petro Gazz merger faces resistance from some teams
“As per my discussion with [PVL president] Ricky Palou, with the planned merger, definitely one team should only remain, whether it’s Nxled or Petro Gazz,” Liao told SPIN.ph.
“For the players whose team will disband, the players will all become free agents. All the other teams will be allowed to sign them in.”
The league has likewise ruled out the possibility of a dispersal draft for now, though Liao noted that such a mechanism could be revisited in future cases.
“Not for the moment. It will be the liberty of the players, being free agents, to sign with teams of their choice,” he said.
Race against time
With roughly three weeks remaining before the 2026 All-Filipino Conference tips off on January 31, time is fast becoming a critical factor.
As of writing, six Nxled players and five Petro Gazz mainstays have already exited their respective teams, with more departures still expected.
Asked about the possibility of Nxled taking a leave of absence should it fail to field a competitive lineup in time, Liao said the league is open to the idea but with significant consequences.
“Yes, they can [take a leave of absence], but they’ll have a very hard time to return,” Liao said.
With the merger effectively shut down, both teams now face a compressed timeline and a far more complicated path forward as the PVL offseason grows increasingly volatile.
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