It's all systems go for the 2024 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) Reinforced Conference, with the entirety of pool play preliminaries set from July 16 to August 6 at the PhilSports Arena.
Eight days after the inaugural PVL Rookie Draft on July 8 at Novotel Manila Araneta City, the PVL will stage its first import-laden conference in two years but will not include league players in the Alas Pilipinas player pool to adhere to the FIVB's national team calendar policy.
Conference format
The preliminary stage will be split into two rounds. Round 1 will feature six teams each in Pool A and Pool B to compete in single-round robin play.
Pool A will feature eight-time PVL champion Creamline, Chery Tiggo, PLDT, Farm Fresh, Galeries Tower and Nxled.
Two-time and reigning Reinforced Conference winner Petro Gazz headline Pool B with Choco Mucho, Cignal, Akari, Capital1 and league newcomer ZUS Coffee.
Each team will play just three matches in Round 2, excluding teams from the same Round 1 pool. The top eight teams with best combined win-loss records from Rounds 1 and 2 will advance to the knockout quarterfinals.
From there, the traditional quarterfinal pairings will be used (#1 vs. #8; #2 vs. #7; #3 vs. #6; #4 vs. #5 with each playoff game from here on out becoming an elimination game for all eight teams.
All four semifinalists will duke it out in their respective knockout matches but will, nonetheless, automatically advance to the 2024 PVL Invitational Conference in September alongside two yet-to-be named foreign guest teams.
Just one championship game will decide this year's Reinforced Conference champion and one battle-for-third game to determine the bronze medalist.
Stacked opening week awaits
All 10 prelims match days will feature triple-headers slated at 2 p.m., 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. at the historic Pasig City venue.
Opening day action on July 16 begins with cellar-dwellers Galeries Tower and Nxled, followed by Chery Tiggo taking on Farm Fresh, before the primetime showdown of powerhouse teams PLDT and Creamline.
This will then be followed by ZUS Coffee's first match since its rebrand against defending champion Petro Gazz preceding Akari versus Capital1 and a star-studded duel between Cignal and Choco Mucho.
Week 1 action wraps up with Nxled-Chery Tiggo, PLDT-Galeries Tower and Farm Fresh-Creamline.
