2021 Premier Volleyball League Open Conference

The 2021 Premier Volleyball League Open Conference was the tenth conference of the Premier Volleyball League, its first conference as a professional league, and the only conference of the 2021 season. The conference started on July 17, 2021 and ended on August 13, 2021, at the PCV Socio-Civic and Cultural Center in Bacarra, Ilocos Norte in a bubble. The PVL has been approved by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) to begin team practices to be followed by the official start of the 2021 season.

In January 2021, it was reported that Motolite filed a leave of absence from the league and released all of its players. The Philippine Army Lady Troopers will participate as a guest team.

Five teams from Philippine Super Liga joined the PVL – Chery Tiggo Crossovers, Cignal HD Spikers, F2 Logistics Cargo Movers, PLDT Home Fibr Power Hitters and Sta. Lucia Lady Realtors. On July 9, 2021, F2 Logistics announced it will not participate in the Open Conference citing injuries and lack of training due to difficulties maintaining their training bubble.

A newly-established team, the UAC Power Hitters, joined the league but announced in June that it will not compete in the Open Conference as it has not formed a team in time for the conference.

Participating teams

Venue

The 2021 Premier Volleyball League Open Conference held its first game at the Centennial Arena in Laoag, Ilocos Norte as an isolation zone (bubble). But since Laoag is under Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine days before the tournament, teams temporarily moved the venue to PCV Socio-Civic and Cultural Center in Bacarra, Ilocos Norte. The conference began July 17, 2021, the bubble accommodated 11 teams.

The original schedule of the 2021 bubble was supposed to be in February or March. Ricky Palou, president of Sports Vision Management (organizers of the PVL), said that they did not want to compete with basketball as the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas is having an international tournament in February. Philippine men's basketball team will hold practices and will compete for the February window of the 2021 FIBA Asia Cup qualification to be held also at the Inspire Sports Academy.

Cignal TV will be the official broadcast partner under a 3-year contract.

Training venues

The following venues served as the training ground of the PVL teams as approved by the Games and Amusements Board (GAB).

Transactions

National team players

• The following players were part of the national team that competed in 2019 international games.

Team additions and transfers

The following are the players who transferred to another team on the upcoming conference.

Coaching changes

Format

Preliminary Round

1. The nine teams will compete in a single round-robin elimination.
2. Teams are ranked using the FIVB Ranking System.
3. Top four teams will advance to the semifinals.

Semifinals

1. Best-of-three series.
2. 1st ranked team vs. 4th ranked team
3. 2nd ranked team vs. 3rd ranked team

Finals

1. Best-of-three series.
2. Bronze medal: SF1 Loser vs. SF2 Loser
3. Gold medal: SF1 Winner vs. SF2 Winner

Pool standing procedure

• First, teams are ranked by the number of matches won.
• If the number of matches won is tied, the tied teams are then ranked by match points, wherein: Match won 3–0 or 3–1: 3 match points for the winner, 0 match points for the loser. Match won 3–2: 2 match points for the winner, 1 match point for the loser.
• In case of any further ties, the following criteria shall be used: Set ratio: the number of sets won divided by number of sets lost. Point ratio: number of points scored divided by number of points allowed. Head-to-head standings: any remaining tied teams are ranked based on the results of head-to-head matches involving the teams in question.

Preliminary round

• All times are Philippine Standard Time (UTC+8:00).

Ranking

Match results

Final round

• All times are Philippine Standard Time (UTC+8:00).

Semifinals

Rank 1 vs. Rank 4

• Creamline wins series, 2–0

Rank 2 vs. Rank 3

• Chery Tiggo wins series, 2–1

Finals

3rd place match

• Petro Gazz wins series, 2–0

Championships

• Chery Tiggo wins series, 2–1

Final standing

Awards and medalists

Individual awards

Medalists

Asian Club Championship

The best performing team were invited to take part at the 2021 Asian Women's Club Volleyball Championship. All teams declined to participate. The club which would have accepted the invitation would have to shoulder the associated fees for their participation. A national team side was entered in the club tournament instead.

Statistics leaders

Here are the statistical leaders at the end of the 2021 Premier Volleyball League Open Conference. Note that the list only consists of the players from the final four teams.

PVLPC player of the week