The Philippine Super Liga (PSL; alternatively spelled as Philippine Superliga) was a non-professional corporate club women's volleyball league in the Philippines. It was first organized by SportsCore Event Management and Consultancy, Inc. and later owned by Athletic Events & Sports Management Group (ACES), Inc. The league was envisioned to provide former collegiate players a league with which they can continue with their volleyball career.
The PSL also had a men's division from 2013 to 2014, although its beach volleyball tournament both have a women's and men's division since its inception.
In 2021, the PSL was left without any active team after all teams either filed a leave of absence due to the COVID-19 pandemic or moved to the newly professionalized Premier Volleyball League, the PSL's rival league.
History
2013–2016: Early years The Philippine Super Liga was established in 2013 with Philip Ella Juico as cahirman and Tats Suzara as president. The league is recognized by the Larong Volleyball sa Pilipinas (LVPI), the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) and the Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC). The league maintains strong ties with the international governing bodies, adhering by the rules and regulations set by the FIVB and AVC. The PSL became a FIVB-accredited club league and its teams and players also became registered with the FIVB.
To begin, the PSL had six member teams, two of which (Cignal HD Spikers and Petron Blaze Spikers) would stick around throughout the entire lifetime of the league. Its inaugural conference, the 2013 Invitational Conference, ran throughout the month of July. During the league's early conferences, the Philippine Army Troopers were dominant, winning the first three conferences. For the second conference of 2013, the Grand Prix, the league established the country's first men's club volleyball tournament, which included four teams.
After the 2014 Philippine Super Liga All-Filipino Conference, the Army departed the PSL after their primary sponsor decided to form a team of their own, leaving the championship open. For the next six conferences through 2016, four teams won the title, with two each going to the Petron Blaze Spikers and the Foton Tornadoes (the franchise later known as the Chery Tiggo Crossovers). The Army also returned for the 2016 season, winning the 2016 Invitational Cup while the F2 Logistics Cargo Movers won their first in the 2016 All-Filipino Conference.
Meanwhile, the league in 2015 also held the first edition of the Beach Volleyball Challenge Cup. However the men's division tournaments ended in 2015 following the establishment of Spikers' Turf, organized by Sports Vision of the rival Shakey's V-League.
2017–2020: Later years The league's later years were known for the rivalry between F2 Logistics and Petron. The last eight championships were won by either team, seven of which were contested by both. In 2018, the league underwent major organizational changes after both Suzara and financer Don Caringal resigned due to alleged unauthorized misuse of the league's funds. In July, the league a theft complaint against the two key officials with the National Bureau of Investigation.
At the same time, the PSL also had to compete with the Premier Volleyball League, an evolution of the Shakey's V-League. In 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines, both leagues suspended play. During the pandemic, the PVL made the transition to a professional league while the PSL decided to remain a non-professional league. Laurel feared that going professional meant that teams won't be able to field players from the collegiate level, stressing that a move to professional status can only be done through a merger between the two leagues.
The end of the Super Liga
By the time the PSL resumed play with the 2021 Beach Volleyball Challenge Cup, the league only had three active member teams: Chery Tiggo, F2 Logistics, and the Sta. Lucia Lady Realtors. The Petro Gazz Angels had planned to move from the PVL to PSL, but it fell through. After the tournament, all three of them had transferred to the PVL, leaving the PSL with zero active member teams.
After the mass exodus of teams, the PSL would refocus on “sports development”. In 2022, the organization behind the league would partner with Shakey's Pizza to form the collegiate and high school league, the Shakey's Super League.
Media coverage Solar Sports was the league's official broadcaster for its first two seasons in 2014 and 2015. while TV5 was the official broadcaster from the 2015 to 2020 season.
In February 2021, the league terminated its broadcast deal with TV5 following the transfer of the Cignal HD Spikers to rival league, the Premier Volleyball League (PVL), and Cignal TV's acquisition of a three-year deal for the broadcasting rights of the PVL. The league was in negotiations with GMA Network as its new broadcast partner when the three remaining active member teams transferred to rival PVL in March 2021.
Teams Teams in the Philippine Super Liga are mostly commercial-based, with companies serving as the owners of the team. The table below does not include guest teams, collegiate teams, or Beach Volleyball Challenge Cup teams.
Women's division Team Affiliation Founded First PSL conference Last PSL conference AirAsia Flying Spikers AirAsia Philippines 2014 2014 All-Filipino Cagayan Valley Lady Rising Suns Antonio family 2012 2013 Invitational 2014 All-Filipino Cignal HD Spikers Cignal TV, Inc. 2013 2013 Invitational 2020 Grand Prix Cocolife Asset Managers Cocolife 2017 2017 Invitational 2019 Grand Prix F2 Logistics Cargo Movers F2 Logistics Philippines, Inc. 2013 2013 Invitational 2020 Grand Prix Foton Tornadoes / Chery Tiggo Crossovers Mileage Asia Corporation 2016 2014 Grand Prix 2020 Grand Prix Generika–Ayala Lifesavers Actimed, Inc. / Ayala Corporation 2014 2014 Grand Prix 2020 Grand Prix Mane 'n Tail Lady Stallions Federated Distributors, Inc. 2015 2015 All-Filipino Marinerang Pilipina Lady Skippers Marinerang Pilipina Group 2019 2019 All-Filipino 2020 Grand Prix Meralco Power Spikers Meralco 2013 2015 All-Filipino New San Jose Builders Victorias New San Jose Builders, Inc. 2016 2016 Invitational PCSO Bingo Milyonaryo Puffins Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office 2013 2013 Invitational Petron Blaze Spikers Petron Corporation 2013 2013 Invitational 2020 Grand Prix Philippine Army Lady Troopers Philippine Army 2011 2013 Invitational 2018 Invitational Philips Gold Lady Slammers Federated Distributors, Inc. 2014 2014 Grand Prix 2015 Grand Prix PLDT Home Fibr Hitters PLDT Inc. 2018 2018 Grand Prix 2020 Grand Prix PLDT Home Ultera Ultra Fast Hitters PLDT Inc. 2013 2013 Invitational 2014 All-Filipino RC Cola Raiders ARC Refreshments Corporation 2013 2013 Invitational 2015 Grand Prix Shopinas.com Lady Clickers Air21 Global, Inc. 2015 2015 All-Filipino Sta. Lucia Lady Realtors Sta. Lucia Land, Inc. 2017 2017 Invitational 2020 Grand Prix Standard Insurance–Navy Corvettes Standard Insurance Company, Inc. / Philippine Navy 2016 2016 All-Filipino
Timeline Below is a timeline of teams that have competed throughout the history of the league. The table does not include teams for the league's men's division. For historical purposes, the Foton Tornadoes and Chery Tiggo Crossovers are considered the same team.
Men's division Team Affiliation Founded First PSL conference Last PSL conference Cignal HD Spikers Cignal TV, Inc. 2014 2014 All-Filipino 2014 Grand Prix Fourbees Cavite Patriots Total Attackers Fourbees 2014 2014 Grand Prix Giligan's Sisig Kings Giligan's Restaurant 2013 2013 Grand Prix Instituto Estetico Manila Phoenix Volley Masters Instituto Estetico Manila 2011 2014 All-Filipino Maybank Tigers Maybank Philippines, Inc. 2011 2014 All-Filipino PLDT Home Telpad Turbo Boosters PLDT Inc. 2013 2013 Grand Prix 2014 Grand Prix Systema Active Smashers Peerless Lion Corporation 2013 2013 Grand Prix 2014 Grand Prix Via Mare Voyagers Via Mare Corporation 2014 2014 All-Filipino
Results summary
Women's division
All-Filipino Conference Season Champions Runners-up Third place Details 2014 Philippine Army Lady Troopers RC Cola–Air Force Raiders PLDT Home TVolution Power Attackers 2014 All-Filipino 2015 Petron Blaze Spikers Shopinas.com Lady Clickers Philips Gold Lady Slammers 2015 All-Filipino 2016 F2 Logistics Cargo Movers Foton Tornadoes Philippine Army Lady Troopers 2016 All-Filipino 2017 Petron Blaze Spikers F2 Logistics Cargo Movers Cignal HD Spikers 2017 All-Filipino 2018 Petron Blaze Spikers F2 Logistics Cargo Movers Generika–Ayala Lifesavers 2018 All-Filipino 2019 F2 Logistics Cargo Movers Cignal HD Spikers Petron Blaze Spikers 2019 All-Filipino
Grand Prix Season Champions Runners-up Third place Details 2013 Philippine Army Lady Troopers Cignal HD Spikers PLDT myDSL Speed Boosters 2013 Grand Prix 2014 Petron Blaze Spikers Generika Lifesavers RC Cola–Air Force Raiders 2014 Grand Prix 2015 Foton Tornadoes Petron Blaze Spikers Philips Gold Lady Slammers 2015 Grand Prix 2016 Foton Tornadoes Petron Blaze Spikers F2 Logistics Cargo Movers 2016 Grand Prix 2017 F2 Logistics Cargo Movers Petron Blaze Spikers Foton Tornadoes 2017 Grand Prix 2018 Petron Blaze Spikers F2 Logistics Cargo Movers Foton Tornadoes 2018 Grand Prix 2019 Petron Blaze Spikers F2 Logistics Cargo Movers PLDT Home Fibr Power Hitters 2019 Grand Prix 2020 colspan=3 2020 Grand Prix
Invitational Season Champions Runners-up Third place Details 2013 Philippine Army Lady Troopers Cignal HD Spikers Petron Blaze Spikers 2013 Invitational 2016 Philippine Army Lady Troopers Est Cola (co-champion) align=left Petron Tri-Activ Spikers 2016 Invitational 2017 Kobe Shinwa Women's University Cignal HD Spikers (co-champion) align=left Petron Blaze Spikers 2017 Invitational 2018 F2 Logistics Cargo Movers Petron Blaze Spikers Cignal HD Spikers 2018 Invitational 2019 F2 Logistics Cargo Movers Petron Blaze Spikers Cignal HD Spikers 2019 Invitational
Collegiate Grand Slam Season Champions Runners-up Third place Details 2018 UP Lady Maroons UST Golden Tigresses UE Lady Warriors 2018 Collegiate
Men's division
All-Filipino Conference Season Champions Runners-up Third place Details 2014 PLDT Home TVolution–Air Force Power Attackers Cignal HD Spikers Systema Active Smashers 2014 All-Filipino
Grand Prix Season Champions Runners-up Third place Details 2013 PLDT myDSL Speed Boosters Systema Active Smashers Maybank Tigers 2013 Grand Prix 2014 Cignal HD Spikers PLDT Home Telpad–Air Force Turbo Boosters Fourbees Cavite Patriots Total Attackers 2014 Grand Prix
Beach Volleyball Challenge Cup
Season Women's division Men's division Champions Runners-up Third place Champions Runners-up Third place 2015 Giligan's Sisig Queens Foton Tornadoes Cignal HD Spikers (Team B) SM By The Bay (Team A) Champion Infinity Active Smashers (Team B) Cignal HD Spikers (Team A) 2016 Philippine Army Lady Troopers (Team A) Foton Toplanders FEU Tamaraws Philippine Navy Fighting Stingrays Team Volleyball Manila FEU Tamaraws (Team A) 2017 Petron Sprint 4T Generika–Ayala Lifesavers (Team A) Petron XCS Generika–Ayala Lifesavers Cignal HD Spikers SM By The Bay 2018 Petron XCS Sta. Lucia Lady Realtors (Team A) Generika–Ayala Lifesavers (Team A) Foton Tornadoes Sands SM By The Bay Smart Prepaid Giga Hitters 2019 Petron XCS Sta. Lucia–Santorini Sta. Lucia–Woodside Cignal HD Spikers Foton Tornadoes Philippine Army Troopers 2021 Abanse Negrense (Team A) Sta. Lucia Lady Realtors (Team A) Abanse Negrense (Team B) colspan=3
Awardees
Brand ambassadors Richard Gomez (2013) Gretchen Ho (2014) Charleen Abigail Cruz (2015) Mika Reyes (2016) Aby Maraño (2017) Rachel Daquis (2018) Majoy Baron (2020)
See also Premier Volleyball League Shakey's Super League Spikers' Turf
References
External links
SportsCore Event Management and Consultancy, Inc. Philippine Super Liga on Volleyverse VBall DB (Philippine Volleyball Database)