The Premier Volleyball League is set to hold its first-ever Rookie Draft on July 6, a landmark event designed to bolster team rosters with fresh talent and enhance the league’s competitive balance.
This comes on the heels of another successful PVL All-Filipino Conference, where Creamline triumphed over Choco Mucho, securing its fourth straight AFC championship and eighth overall crown.
The draft process will allow member teams to select players who have not previously competed in the league, with the order of selection determined by a lottery for the first round and a reverse ranking based on the previous AFC standings for subsequent rounds.
After Creamline and Choco Mucho, the teams are ranked as follows: Petro Gazz, Chery Tiggo, PLDT, Cignal, Akari, Nxled, Farm Fresh, Galeries Tower, Capital1, and Strong Group.
One of the draft’s primary goals is to prevent bidding wars between teams for players, promoting a fairer acquisition process.
The draft lottery is also intended to discourage “tanking” – deliberately losing games to secure a higher draft pick – by not automatically awarding the top pick to the worst-performing team.
Strong Group will have a 40-percent chance of nabbing the first pick in the lottery scheduled to take place on June 24, followed by Capital1 (30%), Galeries (20%), and Farm Fresh (10%).
Teams ranked 8th to 1st in the AFC will pick fifth to 12th in descending order.
The second and subsequent rounds will follow the reverse order of the AFC standings, with the team having the worst record picking first.
"Drafts are the great equalizer in pro leagues. This season, we will hold our first-ever draft with guidelines influenced by some of the top leagues in the world," said PVL commissioner Sherwin Malonzo.
Eligibility for the draft requires applicants to be at least 21 years old by Dec. 31, 2024, with no necessity for collegiate playing experience or academic qualifications.
Filipino-foreign applicants must secure a Philippine passport before the deadline for submission of draft eligibility requirements on May 31. In lieu of a Philippine passport, Filipino-foreign applicants may submit a birth certificate issued in the Philippines.
All applicants must fill up an online form at http://pvl.ph/draft. All additional requirements and documents must be sent to [email protected].
The last day for withdrawal is June 12.
The initial list of applicants will be announced on June 14, and the draft lottery is set at the end of the application period.
Players selected in the draft must receive qualifying offers from their teams within 15 calendar days. First-round picks must be offered a minimum three-year contract, while second and later rounds require a minimum one-year pact. Undrafted players signed by teams must receive at least a one-conference contract.
"We are hoping for a huge turnout for the inaugural class of the PVL draft. This is an exciting moment for our league as we take a significant step forward in elevating the level of competition and providing more opportunities for talented athletes," said Malonzo. "We look forward to seeing the new talent that will emerge and make their mark in the PVL."
The PVL Rookie Draft Combine, a two-day event prior to the draft, is mandatory for all applicants. The event includes physical measures, medical tests, interviews, athletic tests, and scrimmages, all observed by coaches and officials.
Measurements include height, weight, wingspan, and more, while physical tests cover vertical jumps, shuttle runs, and flexibility assessments. Skill tests evaluate spiking, blocking, serving, receiving, setting, and digging.
The Rookie Draft Combine is scheduled for June 25-26.
Performance in the Combine will significantly influence the evaluation and selection of the applicants, ensuring that the most promising talents are identified and drafted.
