THE best players in Philippine women's volleyball are finally playing in one league and the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) is leaving no stone unturned to make it happen amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Sports Vision president Ricky Palou is happy to finally see the country's top volleyball players and club teams headlining the PVL's debut as a professional league with the staging of its Open Conference tentatively set on May 8 under a bubble format at the Inspire Sports Academy in Calamba, Laguna.
"We're really happy to see all the best volleyball players in the land in just one league," Palou said in the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum on Tuesday. "As you know, this is our first tournament as a professional league. It's exciting but at the same time, we have to be really careful and make sure the conference goes well."
Palou bared that staging the Open Conference will cost upwards of P15 million- P10M for the medical team and COVID-19 tests and P5M for the tournament officials, referees and statisticians.
That estimate doesn't include the cost of the venue and lodging since Inspire Academy has yet to come up with a quotation on the cost of accomodating a total of 325 participants for 57 days.
"P10 million is for the medical teams and the swab tests. The other P5M will be for the VIS, game officials, and referees," Palou said. "Maganda naman ang INSPIRE. The rooms are nice and hopefully it won't cost that much."
The PVL is also eyeing to acquire a video challenge system, which could cost another P1 milion.
Palou, however, assured that the PVL bubble won't cost as much as last year's PBA Philippine Cup in Clark that reportedly entailed a budget upwards of P65M.
The league will also rely on new broadcast partner TV5 and Cignal TV for the revenues and sponsorships, Palou added.
"I don't think our expense will reach the PBA's [level] but it will still be substantial," he said. "Revenues and sponsorships will belong to Cignal. We will rely on them to fund this tournament."
Besides the financial challenges, the COVID-19 cases in the country are spiking once again and affecting the PVL teams' return to training and the league's targeted opening.
Palou said they are looking to move the opening date to the last week of May to give more teams the time to build up for the new season.
As it is, only six out of the 12 teams have started training in small groups, namely Petro Gazz at The Arena in San Juan, Creamline, Choco Mucho and Perlas Spikers at Ronac Gym in Mandaluyong and Unlimited Athletes Club and BaliPure in Greenhills West.
Sta. Lucia has secured a permission to train in Cainta from Mayor Kit Nieto but is still waiting for Games and Amusement Board's inspection while PLDT [San Sebastian Gym], Army [Taguig], Cignal and Chery Tiggo are awaiting permits from local government units.
F2 Logistics has yet to announce its practice venue as the club just transferred from the PSL to the PVL last Thursday.
For now, Palou wants all the teams to follow health and safety protocols and keep safe from COVID-19. A player who tests positive ahead of the PVL bubble will be brought to a medical facility and monitored before being allowed to return.
"We talked with the teams. It's important to keep players away from COVID-19. It's not a joke. Everybody should be careful and protect themselves. As far as we know, the teams are doing this and mukhang ok naman ang safety measures," he said.
If vaccines are available ahead of the PVL pro debut, Palou is also encouraging the participants to get a COVID-19 vaccine.
"We’d like to encourage players and people entering the bubble once it's available," Palou said.
Perlas Spiker Kathy Bersola, who is also a medical student, got vaccinated, while the PVL president bared that Rebisco teams and Petro Gazz told him that these squads ordered vaccines for their players.
The PVL is also looking to come up with other activities inside the bubble, knowing that being holed up for two months in one place would be mentally challenging for the players, coaches and officials alike.
"We had initial talks with Dr. Raul Canlas. That is going to be a concern. We're getting some inputs from him. We need a sports psychologist. Aside from training and games, we are looking at other activities players can indulge in," Palou said.
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