THE 10 teams in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) will start collective training next week in preparation for a bubble conference tentatively set in May at the Inspire Sports Academy in Calamba, Laguna.
PVL President Ricky Palou said on Wednesday that the teams would be training in different venues. He also announced that the league already sealed a verbal agreement with Cignal TV as its television coveror.
“Everybody is excited because they haven’t played for almost a year. They really want to play, but the teams want to have at least three months of training so hopefully by next week we get an approval,” Palou said.
Palou said they are expecting to get an approval from the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases on the league’s intention to return. The PVL already secured a professional status from the Games and Amusements Board.
Defending champion Creamline, Choco Mucho and Banko Perlas are set to practice at the Ronac Gym in Mandaluyong City, while Bali Pure and Peak Form will train in a gym inside a subdivision in Greenhills. Petro Gazz is expected to return to training at The Arena in San Juan City.
Cignal and PLDT, Palou said, are still looking for their training venues. The Army and Air Force teams, on the other hand, are expected to practice in their respective gyms at the Fort Bonifacio in Taguig City and Villamor Air Base in Pasay City.
Palou said the deal with Cignal TV only needs to be formalized on paper.
“It’s just a matter of details like scheduling, but we already agreed verbally with the Cignal TV,” said Palou, who was named deputy secretary general for international affairs during the Philippine National Volleyball Federation Inc. inducation of officers on Wednesday at The Vault restaurant at the BGC in Taguig City.
The PVL, he added, eyes a two-game (4 p.m. and 6 p.m.) schedule every day except Mondays, adding the return conference could last two months.