The country’s first-ever volleyball Champions League kicks off with the women’s tournament on Saturday (Nov. 20) followed by the men’s contest a week after at the Aquamarine Recreational Center gym in Lipa City, Batangas.
The Champions League is the only national sports association-organized league during the COVID-19 pandemic outside of the professional basketball tournaments.
Six clubs are competing in the six-day, single-round robin women’s side that will be staged in a bubble setup, according to the organizing Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF).
PetroGazz will test the mettle of Baguio City at 10:00 a.m., while F2 Logistics will take on California Precision Sports at 1:30 p.m.
Chery Tiggo and Tuguegarao Perlas Spikers cap the opening day tripleheader at 4:00 p.m.
There will be three games every day until Nov. 25. The team with the most number of victories will claim the bragging rights as the first-ever titleholder in the Champions League.
“This is the first time that the country is staging its Champions League, which is a staple among members of the International Volleyball Federation or FIVB,” PNVF Ramon “Tats” Suzara said. “And we’re glad that health protocols have eased and we have a very cooperative local government unit in Lipa City.”
The men’s Champions League will start on Nov. 29 with a three-match schedule featuring Go for Gold-Air Force against VNS, Sabong International Spikers against MRT-Negros, and Global Remit against Team Dasma Monarchs.
The men’s contest will use the same format as the women’s competition.
The bulk of the PNVF delegation entered the bubble on Wednesday (Nov. 17) morning, while the teams will arrive in batches starting on Thursday afternoon.
All participants—players, coaches, team managers, officials, media, and other personnel—are fully vaccinated and were made to undergo PCR tests before entering the bubble. Everyone will also be Antigen tested before entering the bubble.
Details on the Champions League are also available at the PNVF official website volleyballphilippines.com. (PNVF) – bny
