PVL stands firm on draft rules, reiterates players and club rights

The Premier Volleyball League (PVL) clarified key rules governing draft entry, player rights, and club prerogatives ahead of the 2026 Rookie Draft as the league reinforced its commitment to fairness and parity.

In a statement late Monday, the PVL emphasized that entry of aspiring players into the league remains strictly through the rookie draft, with no player allowed to sign or negotiate with any club outside the current system.

This rule applies to all players, including those from the national women’s team, Alas Pilipinas, such as collegiate standouts Shaina Nitura, Angel Canino, and Amie Provido, as well as players competing overseas like Alyssa Solomon, should they decide to apply for the draft.

But PVL clarified that a player should still secure approval from her mother club before joining Alas Pilipinas, stressing it will "ensure alignment with contractual obligations and league regulations".

However, if a drafted athlete chooses to remain with the national team, the drafting club will continue to hold exclusive rights to the player for up to three years. During that period, a drafted player is not allowed to negotiate or play with any other club.

If an athlete opts to prioritize Alas Pilipinas and skip the draft, she must still go through the selection process after completing her national team duties, as the PVL reaffirmed that national team involvement does not exempt players from the mandatory draft system.

"Entry into the PVL is strictly and exclusively through the PVL Draft. No athlete may join or negotiate with any PVL club outside the draft mechanism. This rule applies uniformly to all aspiring players without exception," PVL said.

"These policies are designed to ensure orderly player movement, protect club rights, and maintain a fair and transparent system while supporting athletes who wish to serve the country through ALAS."

The statement comes more than two months since the Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) submitted a proposal where Alas Pilipinas will be given priority picks in the PVL Draft.

According to PNVF, the proposal was made in a bid to solve the recurring challenge of borrowing players from their mother clubs whenever the national team competes needed them.

—Bea Micaller/JMB, GMA News