The Philippine Superliga (PSL) said it is looking at the possibility of holding a bubble-style beach volleyball tournament next month in Subic.
“Subic is pandemic-ready,” Ian Laurel, PSL president, said in the latest Sports Page episode. “When it comes to standards, we know it is world-class. The good relationship the PSL has with Subic, I think, helped in this positive development.”
Laurel said two hotels would accommodate an estimated 150 participants who would join the PSL bubble. He added one would be a quarantine hotel while the second would accommodate players and staff who got cleared.
He added both of the hotels are walking distance to the competition and practice venue.
The Philippine Superliga president said they consider November 27 to 29 for the three-day tournament, with time for ingress and egress.
“We are trying to give our teams and players at least one month to practice and for more conditioning,” he added.
Laurel said the 8 teams could field up to two squads, as the league also considers the possibility of opening up slots for guest teams.
He said he would also ask the national team pair of Sisi Rondina and Bernadeth Pons if they would want to join the Philippine Superliga bubble.
Philippine Superliga eyes beach volleyball ‘bubble’ in Subic
Rica Rivera of the Petron Blaze Spikers said she’s excited over the possibility of playing against Rondina and Pons.
“Yung mga queen of beach volleyball, parang wow kailangan ko maging prepared,” said Rivera, who might team up with Ces Molina for the tournament.
(They’re the queens of beach volleyball, so it’s like wow, I have to be prepared.)
Jovelyn Gonzaga also said she welcomes the return of the beach volleyball league.
“‘Di tayo mabobokya sa taong ito (We won’t end up empty-handed this year),” she said.
Laurel said the PBA bubble helped the Philippine Superliga get the approval from the government’s Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF).
“PBA was very, very helpful to us. The things that they’ve done to get the approval, the way they are doing it, I think it paved the way for the PSL appeal to be accommodated by the IATF,” he said.