Prime Volleyball League set to return to India after two-year gap

Following a long gap of a couple of years, some of the best volleyball players in the country and a number of international stars are set to star in the Prime Volleyball League. Three franchise owners, Thomas Muthoot of the Kochi Blue Spikers, Pravin Chaudhuri of the Ahmedabad Defenders, and Safeer PT of the Calicut Heroes, will return as founder-franchises, along with organizers Baseline Ventures in the new league. It will be a huge boost to Indian volleyball. Domestic competitions featuring the highest level of players have worked wonders for a number of sports in the country in the past, and hopefully, this will be no different.  

The Prime Volleyball League has an operating structure similar to that of the US basketball competition, the NBA. Similarly, other US sporting competitions feature team owners who are also stakeholders in the holding organization, thus ensuring a stable financial structure and ensures effective execution of plans. This adds more value to franchises, both as team owners and investors in the sport, and incentivizes long-term associations.

“We were happy with the quality of volleyball and the production values of the original event. This new structure gives us the comfort to make long-term investments in the sport as we also have a say in the successful running of the league,” Pravin Chaudhari said.

Thomas Muthoot said that Kerala has always had a great volleyball culture and that they were delighted to continue their association with the sport.

Calicut Heroes representative Safeer PT said that he was happy about the opportunities that would become available for volleyball players. “We’ve been in constant touch with volleyball stars from around the country, and for the past couple of years, they have been yearning to get on the courts and showcase their talent. I am delighted that they will have that chance again,” he said.

“We’ve already seen the quality of Indian and international talent available. What owners and potential sponsors needed was a stable organization, free of interference, that could function optimally and attract investments from franchises and sponsors. With franchises now being equal partners, we are now in a position to offer that stability and efficiency of operation,” said league CEO Joy Bhattacharjya.

Organizers Baseline Ventures will be working with the other co-founders to firm up the remaining franchises, sponsors, and media partners over the next few months.