To improve league parity, the Premier Volleyball League will no longer be allowing its member teams to directly hire players starting next season.
“2021 will be the last year that will see teams recruit on their own,” PVL president Ricky Palou said during Tuesday’s Philippine Sportswriters Association forum.
Instead, a yearly draft will take place, just like in fellow professional leagues Philippine Basketball Association and Women’s National Basketball League.
The order of draft picks will depend on the standings of each of the member teams by the end of the 2021 season.
Creamline, Petro Gazz, Perlas, Choco Mucho, Bali Pure, UAC, PLDT, Cignal, Chery Tiggo, Sta. Lucia, and F2 Logistics are the member of teams of the league’s inaugural season. Philippine Army and future guest teams will not be allowed to draft.
Rival league Philippine Superliga previously held drafts from 2014 to 2016.
Ara Galang was the final piece added for the La Salle reunion in F2 Logistics
Regarding trades, the league will only allow it if the teams have come to terms.
“Trading at this point in time depends on the teams,” continued Palou in the session powered by Smart, has Upstream Media as official webcast partner, and presented by San Miguel Corp., Go For Gold, MILO, Amelie Hotel Manila, Braska Restaurant, and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR).
Unlike when it was a semi-professional league, the PVL will no longer allow mid-conference hires. Previously, the league allowed teams who make the Final Four to get players from the already-eliminated teams.
Besides eliminating direct hires, the PVL looks to implement a salary cap on each team starting 2022.
“We are also looking at proposing a salary cap,” he said.
