Here is all you need to know about the Prime Volleyball League 2023, it’s schedule, when and where to watch, rules, format and more
With a match between Bengaluru Torpedoes (BT) and Kolkata Thunderbolts (KTB) on February 4, the Prime Volleyball League will kickstart this month.
The league will travel from Bengaluru to Kochi through Hyderabad.
The addition of a franchise from Mumbai to the current seven cities is also major news (Bengaluru, Kolkata, Calicut, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Chennai, Kochi).
Prime Volleyball League 2023 rules, format and points scoring system explained
Prime Volleyball League key elements and why it’s a big deal?
According to CEO Joy Bhattacharjya, the Mumbai Meteors’ inclusion on the team’s roster shows how confident investors are in the league. The key element of the plan is still that all of the club owners, including the new addition, are equally invested in the league’s success as promoters of Baseline Ventures.
One could say Bhattacharjya has a point given that it has only been around for a year and they are still at odds with the volleyball federation that exists in India (more on that later).
India will serve as the host nation for the FIVB’s volleyball Club World Championship for the ensuing two years. Consequently, the champions of PVL in 2023 and ’24 will take part in those years’ World Championships.
Is Prime Volleyball League 2023 the same as Pro Volleyball League?
Nope. The Volleyball Federation of India had partnered with the same promoters to set up the event (one of the two warring factions that claim to run the sport in the country).
The VFI withdrew midway through the following season after it began in 2019 and ran for a full season. Baseline prevailed in a protracted legal struggle that ensued.
The VFI declared a league of their own when the Prime Volleyball League was established last year, but it has yet to take place.
How has that affected the players?
There were concerns that the players would suffer in this power struggle, but the National Games demonstrate that this may actually be bringing some power back to the players: They filed a lawsuit after the state federation, which is a part of the VFI, did not choose top athletes from Kerala (who had competed in the PVL) to represent the state at the National Games in September and won.
They later competed for Kerala at the Games and took home the gold. India’s best: more than simply marketing bluster or high ideals.
What happened in the first season?
The Kolkata Thunderbolts won the first season after easily defeating the Ahmedabad Defenders in the championship game at the Gachibowli indoor stadium in Hyderabad with scores of 15-13, 15-10, and 15-12.
Players to keep an eye on:
The main protagonists in the majority of franchises have remained constant.
Anu James, an attacking talent, appears to be the pick of the group after being granted the opportunity to choose any players not kept by the old franchises by newcomers Mumbai.
In the season 2 player auction, attacker Chirag Yadav (INR 12.5 lakhs, Calicut), setter Ranjit Singh (INR 12.5 lakhs, Hyderabad), and attacker Rohit Kumar (INR 17.5 lakhs, Kochi) received the highest bids from local players.
Teams at Prime Volleyball League 2023
- Bangalore Torpedoes (BT)
- Ahmedabad Defenders (AMD)
- Calicut Heroes (CH)
- Chennai Blitz (CB)
- Hyderabad Black Hawks (HBH)
- Kochi Blue Spikers (KBS)
- Mumbai Meteors (MM)
- Kolkata Thunderbolts (KBT)
Prime Volleyball League 2023: Schedule, when and where is it happening?
The league kicks off in Bengaluru on February 4 before heading to Hyderabad on February 15 and Kochi on February 24 for the final leg. The final will take place on March 5, with the semifinals scheduled for March 3 and 4.
This season, there will be 31 overall games. Most days will only feature one game (at 7 PM IST), however some may have double headers (7 and 9.30 PM IST).
Prime Volleyball League 2023: Where to watch? Live stream and broadcasting details
The matches will be broadcast on the Sony network (TV and OTT), while Volleyball World will stream them globally (the commercial wing of the FIVB).
Prime Volleyball League 2023 rules
- Each squad has six players.
- Points earned when the ball touches the court of the opposition or bounces off of a rival outside the bounds.
- Win a point, and you get to serve next. (Consider badminton.)
- Prior to the ball crossing the net, each side is allowed three touches of the ball with any body part (excluding any blocks at the net).
- No consecutive touches for one player.
The points system is where the PVL varies from ordinary international volleyball. While all sets in the PVL have a maximum score of 15, regular matches are decided by a best-of-five set format, with the first four sets going to 25 points (with at least a two point difference).
Each set also includes a bonus card that teams can choose to play. If they do, they can win two points instead of just one, but they also run the risk of losing two points instead of just one.
ALSO READ: PLAY FREE ONLINE GAMES