“The timing of the senior Nationals (to be held in Bhubaneswar from February 7) clashing with the Rupay Prime Volleyball League didn’t come as a surprise at all,” PVL CEO Joy Bhattacharya said at a virtual media interaction on Friday.
“I can only say this. More the opportunities for players, the better for them. But, I must say, in PVL, players are the No. 1 priority,” he said.
Joy said the PVL, which would see volleyballers in action after almost two years, would provide footage the players could look at at the end of the month-long event and keep looking ahead.
“It is a huge opportunity for everyone involved in volleyball and for all those young talent watching it,” he said.
“Yes, we are definitely looking at a longer league with more teams and more venues. But the reality of Indian sporting league is it depends on sponsorship. We need team owners who can invest and wait at least five years. Luckily, we have seven of them in the PVL now who are very competent and passionate about the sport and all seven are involved in the managing committee.
“This actually made it possible to shift the League from Kochi (due to Omicron threat) to Hyderabad with ease,” Joy explained.
On women’s PVL, Joy said everyone involved was definitely keen but would want to take things one step at a time. First successfully conduct the men’s league and then even consider similar leagues in men’s and women’s beach volleyball.
