The Premier Volleyball League is set to make its 10th season one for the books, rolling out a bold new All-Filipino Conference format that will span three series and give teams more opportunities to compete while allowing more players to shine, develop, and make their mark in a milestone campaign.
Under the new format, the first two series will give teams a chance to accumulate standings points, with every win carrying added weight as their totals will ultimately determine their rankings heading into the third and final series, where everything will culminate in a battle to be crowned the Philippine Grand Champion.
That makes every game all the more valuable, as teams will not only be chasing victories but also positioning themselves for the best possible spot when the final series comes around.
While the first two series will serve as the foundation for the overall standings, each will still have its own championship at stake. The top four teams in each series will advance to the semifinals, with the top two earning a twice-to-beat advantage.
“For this All-Filipino Conference, we will have three series. Now, each series will earn points, and those points will be added up, which will be the basis of their rankings for the third series. Each series, we will have a champion until the third one. So it’s all round-robin,” said PVL Commissioner Sherwin Malonzo.
(C) PVL Images
The race begins with Siklab, the first series of the season, which will run from October 10 to December 4. All teams will start on equal footing in a single round-robin elimination phase, giving every squad an opportunity to make an early push in the standings.
What sets the opening series apart, however, is its all-to-play format, requiring teams to give every player declared on their roster an opportunity to take the court and contribute. The rule opens the door for more athletes to showcase their skills and make their mark.
“The first series will run from October until December. It’s a single round, and the top two teams will have a twice-to-beat advantage in the semifinals, where they will play against No. 3 and No. 4. Then, we will have a best-of-three championship,” Malonzo explained.
(C) PVL Images
After giving their players a chance to get their feet wet in Siklab, teams will shift into a more competitive gear in Sigla, the second series of the All-Filipino Conference, where the all-to-play requirement will be removed, and coaches will have the freedom to field their strongest combinations.
Aside from that key change, Sigla will follow the same format as the opening series, with teams once again going through a single round-robin elimination phase before the top four advance to the semifinals. The top two finishers will again carry a twice-to-beat advantage.
“For the second series, it’s the same. But the difference between the first and the second is that the teams are required to play all their players na naka-declare sa scoresheet. Whereas in the second series, it’s all power. It’s up to the coaches kung paano, the usual,” Malonzo explained.
(C) PVL Images
Everything will come to a head in Sinag, the third and final series, where the standings points accumulated over the first two series will determine the teams’ seeding and, ultimately, their path to the Philippine Grand Championship.
“What will happen in the third series is a step-ladder format. The top two teams, after adding up the points, will wait in the semifinals, and then the rest will go through a step-ladder format, separated into two groups until we identify who will become the third- and fourth-placed teams,” said Malonzo.
“Sa semifinals, it will be a best-of-three between Rank 1 and Rank 4, and then Rank 2 and Rank 3. And then in the finals, best-of-three rin. Yung magchachampion will be declared the Philippine Grand Champion,” he added.
The top two teams in the overall standings will earn a direct ticket to the best-of-three semifinals, while the remaining seven will have to survive the stepladder for a chance to reach the final four.
The climb begins with Seeds 7, 8, and 9 facing off in a single round-robin. The top two finishers will be seeded seventh and eighth, while the third-placed team will settle for ninth and see its campaign end there.
From there, the No. 7 seed will face No. 6, while No. 8 takes on No. 5, with the winners advancing to face the No. 3 and No. 4 seeds, respectively.
The two teams that emerge from those matchups will then battle the top two seeds in the best-of-three semifinals, with the winners advancing to the best-of-three championship series.
Whoever survives the final showdown will be crowned the Philippine Grand Champion, capping what could be the league’s toughest and most grueling championship race yet in fitting fashion for its milestone 10th
