PSL goes all-out in 2021

The Philippine Superliga (PSL) promises a very busy and explosive season following a year of inactivity due to the coronavirus pandemic.

PSL chairman Philip Ella Juico said they have already plotted a 2021 calendar that underscores their all-out support both to the national team and grassroots sports programs.

Three teams — Petron, Generika-Ayala and Marinerang Pilipina — had taken a one-year pandemic-related leave of absence, but it would hardly affect the level of competition as Petro Gazz would be seeing action as a guest team to join a powerhouse field composed of F2 Logistics, Cignal, Chery Tiggo, Sta. Lucia and PLDT Home Fibr.

Two more teams had already expressed their willingness to join, allowing the league to keep its original eight-squad field.

Juico said they would open their season with the PSL Beach Volleyball Challenge Cup in Subic Bay from 25 to 27 February.

Initially set from 28 to 30 November but was called off due to tropical storms that hit Central Luzon, the beach volleyball tournament would use a bubble setup through the help of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority.

After the beach volleyball tourney, the league would hold its highly-popular PSL Fans Day in the first week of March before rolling out the All-Filipino Conference on 13 March.

There will be a brief break to give way for the Lenten Season, but expect the elite players to remain active as they prepare for the AVC Asian Women’s Club Championship from 11 to 18 April in Taipei.

“We promise to be back with a bang,” said Juico, a former Philippine Sports Commission chairman and president of the national athletics federation.