Premier Volleyball League Reinforced Conference

Premier Volleyball League Reinforced Conference

Upcoming season or competition: 2025 Premier Volleyball League Reinforced Conference
Sport	Volleyball
Founded	2017;8 years ago (2017)
First season	2017
Most recent champion(s)	Creamline Cool Smashers (2024)
Most titles	Creamline Cool Smashers Petro Gazz Angels (2 titles each)

The Premier Volleyball League Reinforced Conference is one of three active conferences in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL). It is an import-laden conference where teams can sign a foreign player to their rosters. The conference succeeded the Reinforced Open Conference that was held in the Shakey's V-League. The Reinforced Conference was also held for the PVL's men's division in 2017 and 2018 before it was split back into Spikers' Turf.

In 2017, difficulties in securing international transfer certificates from the Fédération Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB) resulted in a delay for imports to compete in the PVL. ^{[1] [2]} In 2023, Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) sanctions restricted the PVL from hosting a Reinforced Conference that season. As such it was replaced by a second All-Filipino conference. ^[3] In 2024, the Reinforced Conference was planned to be merged with the Invitational Conference as a single "Reinforced Invitational Conference", ^[4] but that plan was scrapped and the two conferences continue to be held separately.

The Creamline Cool Smashers are the most recent champions, winning the 2024 Reinforced Conference. Creamline are also tied with the Petro Gazz Angels for the most Reinforced titles with two each.

Format history

In 2017, the Reinforced Conference featured an initial preliminary round, a double round-robin tournament where each team plays all other teams twice. The top two teams directly advanced to the semifinals while the remaining teams compete in the quarterfinals. The quarterfinals is an additional single round-robin where the top two teams clinch the final two berths in the semifinals. The semifinals and finals, as well as the third-place series, are best-of-three series. In 2018, the preliminary round was changed to a single round-robin. In 2019, the quarterfinal round was scrapped, with the top four teams advancing to the semifinals.

In 2022, the semifinal round was turned into a single round-robin between the top four teams of the prelims. The top two teams advanced to the finals while the bottom two move on to the battle for third.

In 2024, the format of the conference was changed entirely. Teams are split into two pools for the prelims. The preliminary round itself is split into two single round-robin tournaments. Sister teams cannot be placed in the same initial pool. ^[5] After the first round-robin, the top three teams from one pool are merged with the bottom three teams from the other pool for the second round-robin. At the end of the split preliminary round, the top eight teams in combined records advance to the quarterfinals. All rounds in the final round, including the third-place series, are shortened to a single match. The conference also acted as a qualifier for the Invitational Conference. ^[6]

Medal table

Women's division

Per season

Season	Champions	Runners-up	Third place	Details	Ref.
2017	Pocari Sweat Lady Warriors	BaliPure Purest Water Defenders	Creamline Cool Smashers	2017 Reinforced	[7]
2018	Creamline Cool Smashers	PayMaya Highflyers	BanKo Perlas Spikers	2018 Reinforced	[8]
2019	Petro Gazz Angels	Creamline Cool Smashers	Pacific Town-Army Lady Troopers	2019 Reinforced	[9]
2022	Petro Gazz Angels	Cignal HD Spikers	Creamline Cool Smashers	2022 Reinforced	[10]
2024	Creamline Cool Smashers	Akari Chargers	Cignal HD Spikers	2024 Reinforced	[11]

Per franchise

Inactive or former team

Franchise				Total
Creamline Cool Smashers	2	1	2	5
Petro Gazz Angels	2	0	0	2
Pocari Sweat Lady Warriors	1	0	0	1
Cignal HD Spikers	0	1	1	2
Akari Chargers	0	1	0	1
BaliPure Purest Water Defenders	0	1	0	1
PayMaya Highflyers	0	1	0	1
BanKo Perlas Spikers	0	0	1	1
Pacific Town-Army Lady Troopers	0	0	1	1

Men's division

Per season

Season	Champions	Runners-up	Third place	Details	Ref.
2017	Cignal HD Spikers	Philippine Air Force Air Spikers	Philippine Army Troopers	2017 Reinforced
2018	Philippine Air Force Air Spikers	Cignal HD Spikers	Vice Cosmetics Blockbusters	2018 Reinforced

Per franchise

Franchise				Total
Cignal HD Spikers	1	1	0	2
Philippine Air Force Air Spikers	1	0	1	2
Philippine Army Troopers	0	0	1	1
Vice Cosmetics Blockbusters	0	0	1	1

References

1. Naredo, Camille B. (April 30, 2017). "No imports on Day 1 of PVL Reinforced Conference". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved May 23, 2017.
2. Terrado, Reuben (May 15, 2017). "Tats Suzara denies hand in non-issuance of ITCs to PVL imports, accuses league of 'incompetence'". Sports Interactive Network. Retrieved May 23, 2017.
3. Villar, Joey (August 3, 2023). "PVL to hold 2nd All-Filipino instead of Reinforced Conference this year". The Philippine Star . Archived from the original on September 7, 2023. Retrieved September 7, 2023.
4. Agcaoili, Lance (February 11, 2024). "PVL aligns calendar with FIVB schedule". Philippine Daily Inquirer . Archived from the original on June 24, 2024. Retrieved June 1, 2024.
5. Catacutan, Dodo (June 23, 2023). "This early, PVL plans safeguards vs 'collusion' between sister teams". Spin.ph . Archived from the original on June 24, 2023. Retrieved June 24, 2023.
6. Agcaoili, Lance (July 3, 2024). "PVL to use different format in return of Reinforced Conference". INQUIRER.net. Retrieved May 29, 2025.
7. Rola, Alyssa (June 15, 2017). "PVL: Pocari Sweat outlasts Bali Pure to win Reinforced Conference crown". RAPPLER. Retrieved May 29, 2025.
8. Lising, Charmie (July 11, 2018). "Creamline clinches PVL Reinforced Conference title". ESPN.com. Retrieved May 29, 2025.
9. Agcaoili, Lance (July 14, 2019). "Petro Gazz completes comeback against Creamline for breakthrough PVL title". Spin.ph. Retrieved May 29, 2025.
10. Isaga, JR (December 6, 2022). "Petro Gazz sweeps Cignal, completes 3-year PVL Reinforced Conference title defense". RAPPLER. Retrieved May 29, 2025.
11. Isaga, JR (September 4, 2024). "Shorthanded Creamline still proves champion's heart, rules Reinforced tilt". RAPPLER. Retrieved May 29, 2025.