The Philippine Super Liga (PSL; alternatively spelled as Philippine Superliga) is a non-professional[1][2] corporate club women's volleyball league in the Philippines. It was first organized by SportsCore Event Management and Consultancy, Inc. and is now owned by Philippine SuperLiga, Inc. The league is envisioned to provide former collegiate players a league with which they can continue with their volleyball career.[3][4]
Current season, competition or edition: 2021 PSL Beach Volleyball Challenge Cup | |
 | |
| Sport | Volleyball |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2013 |
| First season | 2013 |
| President | Adrian Laurel (Acting President) |
| Commissioner | Adrian Laurel |
| Motto | Iba Ang Laro Dito (lit. 'The game is different here') |
| No. of teams | 2021 Beach Challenge Cup: 8 |
| Country |  Philippines |
| Continent | AVC (Asia) |
| Most recent champion(s) | W: F2 Logistics Cargo Movers M: Foton |
| Most titles | W: Petron Blaze Spikers * (9) |
| Official website | philippinesuperliga |
The PSL also had a men's division from 2013 to 2014, although its beach volleyball tournament both have a women's and men's division since its inception.
In 2021, the PSL was left without any active team after teams either filed a leave of absence due to the COVID-19 pandemic or moved to the newly professionalized Premier Volleyball League, the PSL's rival league.
Background
The PSL began as a women's league during its inaugural tournament. A men's division was added for the succeeding tournament.[5][6] After the formation of rival league Spikers' Turf, the men's division of the indoor tournaments became inactive.
The chairman is Philip Ella Juico (also the chairman of the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association or PATAFA), while volleyball TV analyst Dr. Adrian Laurel is the league's commissioner. PSL founder and FIVB and AVC development and marketing official Ramon "Tats" Suzara served as the league's president from 2013 until 2018, when he resigned along with Finance Director Don Caringal due to alleged unauthorized misuse of the league's funds. PSL officials filed qualified theft charges against Suzara and Caringal in July 2018.[7]
The league is recognized by the Larong Volleyball sa Pilipinas (LVPI), the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) and the Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC). The league maintains strong ties with the international governing bodies, adhering by the rules and regulations set by the FIVB and AVC.[8] The PSL became a FIVB-accredited club league and its teams and players also became registered with the FIVB.[9]
There were plans for the PSL to shift to a professional league as early as 2018, in anticipation that college players would be barred from playing in commercial leagues in the near future. With the PSL's rival league, the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) turning professional in 2020,[10] the PSL made its position known that it does not intend to do the same, citing that the existence of two professional leagues don't make "commercial sense" and that it intends to be a platform for players aspiring to play in the professional level.[11]
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, its 2020 season was cancelled.[12] This was followed by three member teams taking an indefinite leave of absence and one member team transferring to the PVL at the start of its 2021 season.[13] The PSL was able to stage its 2021 Beach Challenge Cup in February 2021. However, following the beach tournament, the three remaining active member teams joined the PVL. As of March 12, 2021, the PSL is without any active member teams.[14][15]
The PSL released a statement that it will still be active in sports development and maintained that the departure of its clubs to the PVL was done in amicable terms.[16]
Current members
| 2021 PSL member teams (inactive) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | Company | |||||
| Generika-Ayala Lifesavers | Actimed, Inc./Ayala Corporation | |||||
| Marinerang Pilipina Skippers | Marinerang Pilipina Group | |||||
| Petron Blaze Spikers | Petron Corporation | |||||
Media coverage
Solar Sports was the league's official broadcaster for its first two seasons in 2014 and 2015.[17] while TV5 was the official broadcaster from the 2015 to 2020 season.[18]
In February 2021, the league terminated its broadcast deal with TV5 following the transfer of the Cignal HD Spikers to rival league, the Premier Volleyball League (PVL), and Cignal TV's acquisition of a three-year deal for the broadcasting rights of the PVL. The league was in negotiations with GMA Network as its new broadcast partner when the three remaining active member teams transferred to rival PVL in March 2021.[13][19][20]
Champions
Indoor volleyball
| Season | Conference | Women's | Men's |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Invitational | TMS-Philippine Army Lady Troopers | No tournament |
| Grand Prix | PLDT myDSL Speed Boosters | ||
| 2014 | All-Filipino | Generika-Army Lady Troopers | PLDT Home TVolution-Air Force Power Attackers |
| Grand Prix | Petron Blaze Spikers | Cignal HD Spikers | |
| 2015 | All-Filipino | No tournament | |
| Grand Prix | Foton Tornadoes | ||
| 2016 | Invitational | RC Cola-Army Troopers and Est Cola (co-champion) | |
| All-Filipino | F2 Logistics Cargo Movers | ||
| Grand Prix | Foton Tornadoes | ||
| 2017 | Invitational | Kobe Shinwa Women's University and Cignal HD Spikers (co-champion) | |
| All-Filipino | Petron Blaze Spikers | ||
| Grand Prix | F2 Logistics Cargo Movers | ||
| 2018 | Grand Prix | Petron Blaze Spikers | |
| Invitational | F2 Logistics Cargo Movers | ||
| All-Filipino | Petron Blaze Spikers | ||
| Collegiate Grand Slam | UP Lady Maroons | ||
| 2019 | Grand Prix | Petron Blaze Spikers | |
| All-Filipino | F2 Logistics Cargo Movers | ||
| Invitational | F2 Logistics Cargo Movers | ||
| 2020 | Grand Prix | Cancelled |
Beach volleyball
| Season | Conference | Women's | Men's |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Challenge Cup | Giligan's Sisig Queens | SM By The Bay (Team A) |
| 2016 | Challenge Cup | RC Cola-Army Troopers (Team A) | Philippine Navy (Team A) |
| 2017 | Challenge Cup | Petron Sprint 4T | Generika-Ayala Lifesavers |
| 2018 | Challenge Cup | Petron XCS | Foton Tornadoes |
| 2019 | Challenge Cup | Petron XCS | Cignal HD Spikers |
| 2020 | Challenge Cup | No tournament | |
| 2021 | Challenge Cup | Abanse Negrense (Team A) | No tournament |
Brand ambassadors
See also
References
- ^ Reyes, Marc Anthony (July 10, 2020). "LVPI requests permission for volleyball players' training resumption". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved September 7, 2020.
- ^ "Juico: Superliga not turning pro at the moment". Manila Bulletin. November 10, 2020. Retrieved November 10, 2020.
- ^ "Super Liga volleyball launched July 7". The Philippine Star. June 28, 2013. Retrieved November 22, 2013.
- ^ Cordero, Abac (July 6, 2013). "Asian volley official graces PSL opener". The Philippine Star. Retrieved November 22, 2013.
- ^ "Philippine Super Liga to launch first men's club league". Solar Sports Desk. February 25, 2013. Retrieved November 22, 2013.
- ^ "Super Liga adds men's tourney in 2nd season". Philippine Daily Inquirer. October 29, 2013. Retrieved November 22, 2013.
- ^ "PSL files theft complaint against Tats Suzara, Don Caringal". Tiebreaker Times. July 19, 2018. Retrieved July 19, 2018.
- ^ Navarro, June (January 5, 2016). "Superliga builds solid links with FIVB, AVC". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved March 1, 2016.
- ^ Agcaoili, Lance (January 4, 2016). "PSL president bats for unified calendar". BusinessMirror. Retrieved March 21, 2016.
- ^ Li, Matthew (November 30, 2020). "PSL insists on staying as 'semi-pro': 'There's not enough players yet'". Tiebreaker Times. Retrieved December 6, 2020.
- ^ "PSL firm on decision to stay non-pro". 17 February 2021.
- ^ Villar, Joey (6 December 2020). "Petro Gazz in, Petron, Generika and Marinerang Pilipina out as Supeliga vows strong comeback". The Philippine Star. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
- ^ a b Navarro, June (16 February 2021). "PSL remains 'strong,' in talks with GMA 7 for broadcast deal". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
- ^ "Sta. Lucia, Chery Tiggo thank PSL after transferring to PVL". ABS-CBN News. March 10, 2021. Retrieved March 12, 2021.
- ^ "F2 Logistics moves to PVL". ABS-CBN News. March 12, 2021. Retrieved March 12, 2021.
- ^ Ulanday, John Bryan (12 March 2021). "Superliga here to stay amid exodus". The Philippine Star. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
- ^ "PSL, Solar Sports ink pact". Manila Standard. 14 May 2014. Archived from the original on 17 May 2014. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
- ^ Manicad, Julius (20 February 2015). "Bigger, better Superliga marks third season". Daily Tribune. Archived from the original on 22 December 2015. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
- ^ "Sta. Lucia, Chery Tiggo thank PSL after transferring to PVL". ABS-CBN News. March 10, 2021. Retrieved March 11, 2021.
- ^ "F2 Logistics moves to PVL". ABS-CBN News. March 11, 2021. Retrieved March 11, 2021.
- ^ "Cha Cruz named new PSL ambassador". ABS-CBN News. April 14, 2015. Retrieved February 20, 2019.
- ^ Escarlote, Mark (July 12, 2016). "Mika Reyes named as 2016 PSL ambassadress". ABS-CBN Sports. Retrieved July 12, 2016.
- ^ Escarlote, Mark (October 18, 2017). "Vision ko na makaenggayo ng mga babae na sumabak sa sports – Tyang Aby". ABS-CBN Sports. Retrieved October 18, 2017.
- ^ Lopez, Mark Edward (November 3, 2018). "Look: Rachel Anne Daquis is PSL's new ambassadress". Fox Sports Philippines. Retrieved November 4, 2018.