Field size concerns bug ‘Unity Cup’ pitch

MANILA, Philippines — While both sides have agreed in principle to resuming working towards a common goal of unifying Philippine volleyball, they could differ greatly in their perceptions of the size of the field in the proposed Unity Cup.

The Philippine Superliga wants to come up with a full roster, meaning all its eight teams, led by Grand Prix titlist Petron and all-Filipino champion F2 Logistics, to be pitted against the same number of squads of the Premier Volleyball League, headed by conference winners Creamline and PetroGazz.

“Putting up a 16-team field is feasible. We can divide it into four groups with the top two advancing to the next round and so forth,” said PSL chairman Philip Ella Juico.

But Ricky Palou, president of Sports Vision, which organizes the PVL, has proposed a leaner make-up of four teams from each league to make it more transitory in nature as well as keeping whatever calendar that they might have drawn up following the enhanced community quarantine.

“The PVL owners feel a full-packed roster of 16 teams would be too long. They are looking at a shorter tournament, featuring the top four teams of both leagues based on their respective rankings,” said Palou.

Juico and Palou have met thrice as early as late last year to discuss the proposed merger but the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted all plans. Both, however, agreed to resume talks.