The third edition of India’s RuPay Prime Volleyball League powered by A23 is set to start on February 15 and the entire season will be played in Chennai. A new franchise has been added to the league. With the arrival of rookies Delhi Toofans, the number of participating teams has risen to nine.
Prime Volleyball League 2024
India’s Prime Volleyball League new season coming up
Nine teams to compete in Chennai, serve-off on February 15
Published 01:01, 02 Feb 2024
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The entire 2024 season of the Prime Volleyball League will be staged at the SDAT multi-purpose 5,000-seater indoor stadium in Chennai, the capital of India’s southernmost state Tamil Nadu. Chennai is also home to one of the franchises participating in the league, Chennai Blitz.
The first stage of PVL 2024 will be played in a single round-robin format. A total of 36 matches will be played from February 15 through March 10 to determine the final regular season standings. According to the new PVL rules, any win brings two points towards the standings, while a loss brings zero points.
In the opening match on February 15 at 18:30 local time (13:00 UTC), hosts Chennai Blitz will take on defending 2023 champions Ahmedabad Defenders. In the second match later that day, 2023 runners-up Bengaluru Torpedoes will challenge 2022 champions Kolkata Thunderbolts. Newcomers Delhi Toofans, the first participating team from northern India, will make their debut on February 16 with a game against last season’s rookies Mumbai Meteors. Calicut Heroes, Hyderabad Black Hawks and Kochi Blue Spikers are the other three teams to join the regular season action.
The PVL will be further expanded through the introduction of the so-called Super 5s. It is the second stage of the season, in which the top five teams from the first stage will battle it out in the 10 matches of another single round-robin. The Super 5s will be played from March 11 through 18.
The team finishing the Super 5s on top of the standings will earn a direct ticket to the final on March 21. The teams finishing second and third will move on to meet each other in a semifinal match, called Eliminator, to be played on March 19. The winner of the semifinal will also progress to the final.
So the entire season will feature a total of 48 matches, constituting a 55% increase compared to last year’s 31.
As in 2023, the 2024 PVL champions will also earn the right to represent the host nation India at the 2024 FIVB Volleyball Men’s Club World Championship.
“One thing we always want to do is add fresh new elements to our league each year to increase our engagement with the fans,” said Joy Bhattacharjya, CEO of RuPay Prime Volleyball League powered by A23. “The addition of a team from the north was the first step in that direction, and the introduction of the Super 5s gives a different dimension to the competition. A lot of teams have also opted for international coaches and they will bring a fresh new perspective to Indian volleyball. The fans are surely in for a treat this season.”
