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The highly anticipated third edition of the RuPay Prime Volleyball League powered by A23 is set to begin on February 15th, 2024, and will be hosted in the beautiful city of Chennai. Nine franchises - Ahmedabad Defenders, Bengaluru Torpedoes, Calicut Heroes, Chennai Blitz, Delhi Toofans, Hyderabad Black Hawks, Kochi Blue Spikers, Kolkata Thunderbolts, and Mumbai Meteors - will compete for the coveted trophy, with the Final set to take place on March 21st at the SDAT Multi – purpose Indoor Stadium, Chennai.
The Defending Champions Ahmedabad Defenders will face off against the hosts Chennai Blitz in the opening game of the tournament on February 15th, while the last year's runners-up Bengaluru Torpedoes will take on the Season 1 winners Kolkata Thunderbolts on the same day. The third season of RuPay Prime Volleyball League powered by A23, and co-owned and exclusively marketed by India’s leading sports marketing firm, Baseline Ventures, will bring an exciting new format with the introduction of Super 5s, promising a bigger, better, and bolder edition.
The Super 5s stage will take place between March 11th and March 18th in which the top five teams from the League stage will compete in a round-robin format to determine the final three teams. The team finishing first in the Super 5s will earn a direct qualification for the Final, while the teams finishing in the second and third places will compete in the Eliminator on March 19th. The winner of the Eliminator will be the second team to book a spot in the Final.
Speaking on hosting the upcoming season in Chennai, the Minister of Youth Welfare and Sports Development of Tamil Nadu, Shri Udhayanidhi Stalin said, "Ever since its inception, we have always wanted to host an edition of RuPay Prime Volleyball League in our city due to its rising popularity. Volleyball is a sport that is close to the people of Tamil Nadu and there is a huge amount of untapped potential present for the sport here. I extend a very warm welcome to all the participating teams and players from all around the world to our beautiful city and we truly believe that their presence here will not only help start a revolution in volleyball across the state of Tamil Nadu but also inspire the next generation of athletes to think of a professional career in this sport. We hope to host another successful edition of the tournament and wish all the teams the best. Let the games begin."
Joy Bhattacharjya, CEO, RuPay Prime Volleyball League powered by A23 said, "Volleyball has an ever-growing presence in the Southern regions and the passionate fans in Tamil Nadu have been clamouring to witness live matches for many years. We are delighted to bring the latest edition of RuPay Prime Volleyball League powered by A23 to Chennai. We are thankful for the Tamil Nadu government for their blessings and support. Chennai has a huge volleyball fan base and we are confident they will be thrilled to witness the league, which will feature some of the top talent from India and abroad."
He further added, "One thing we always want to do is add fresh new elements to our league each year to increase our engagement with fans. The addition of a team from North, Delhi Toofans, was the first step in the direction, and the introduction of 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."
The Prime Volleyball League Season 3 will be LIVE on Sony Sports Ten 1 SD & HD, Sony Ten 3 SD & HD (Hindi), Sony Ten 4 SD & HD (Tamil & Telugu) from 6.30 pm onwards.
Prime Volleyball League 2024 Full Schedule:
LEAGUE STAGE:
DATE | TIME (IST) | MATCH |
15 th February | 6:30 p.m. | Ahmedabad Defenders vs Chennai Blitz |
| 8:30 p.m. | Bengaluru Torpedoes vs Kolkata Thunderbolts |
16 th February | 6:30 p.m. | Mumbai Meteors vs Delhi Toofans |
| 8:30 p.m. | Kochi Blue Spikers vs Calicut Heroes |
17 th February | 6:30 p.m. | Chennai Blitz vs Hyderabad Black Hawks |
18 th February | 6:30 p.m. | Ahmedabad Defenders vs Kolkata Thunderbolts |
| 8:30 p.m. | Bengaluru Torpedoes vs Delhi Toofans |
19 th February | 6:30 p.m. | Mumbai Meteors vs Hyderabad Black Hawks |
20 th February | 6:30 p.m. | Chennai Blitz v Kochi Blue Spikers |
21 st February | 6:30 p.m. | Bengaluru Torpedoes vs Mumbai Meteors |
22 nd February | 6:30 p.m. | Kolkata Thunderbolts vs Chennai Blitz |
| 8:30 p.m. | Ahmedabad Defenders vs Hyderabad Black Hawks |
23 rd February | 6:30 p.m. | Calicut Heroes vs Delhi Toofans |
| 8:30 p.m. | Bengaluru Torpedoes vs Kochi Blue Spikes |
25 th February | 6:30 p.m. | Kolkata Thunderbolts vs Calicut Heroes |
| 8:30 p.m. | Mumbai Meteors vs Kochi Blue Spikes |
26 th February | 6:30 p.m. | Delhi Toofans vs Hyderabad Black Hawks |
| 8:30 p.m. | Bengaluru Torpedoes vs Ahmedabad Defenders |
27 th February | 6:30 p.m. | Kolkata Thunderbolts vs Kochi Blue Spikes |
28 th February | 6:30 p.m. | Calicut Heroes vs Mumbai Meteors |
29 th February | 6:30 p.m. | Kolkata Thunderbolts vs Hyderabad Black Hawkss |
1 st March | 6:30 p.m. | Delhi Toofans vs Chennai Blitz |
| 8:30 p.m. | Mumbai Meteors vs Ahmedabad Defenders |
2 nd March | 6:30 p.m. | Hyderabad Hawks vs Calicut Heroes |
3 rd March | 6:30 p.m. | Kolkata Thunderbolts vs Delhi Toofans |
| 8:30 p.m. | Ahmedabad Defenders vs Kochi Blue Spikes |
4 th March | 6:30 p.m. | Hyderabad Black Hawks vs Bengaluru Torpedoes |
| 8:30 p.m. | Mumbai Meteors vs Chennai Blitz |
5 th March | 6:30 p.m. | Kochi Blue Spikers vs Delhi Toofans |
6 th Match | 6:30 p.m. | Bengaluru Torpedoes vs Calicut Heroes |
7 th March | 6:30 p.m. | Kolkata Thunderbolts vs Mumbai Meteors |
8 th March | 6:30 p.m. | Bengaluru Torpedoes vs Chennai Blitz |
| 8:30 p.m. | Ahmedabad Defenders vs Calicut Heroes |
9 th March | 6:30 p.m. | Hyderabad Black Hawks vs Kochi Blue Spikers |
10 th March | 6:30 p.m. | Chennai Blitz vs Calicut Heroes |
| 8:30 p.m. | Ahmedabad Defenders vs Delhi Toofans |
SUPER 5s
DATE | TIME (IST) | MATCH |
11 th March | 6:30 p.m. | Team 1 vs Team 2 |
12 th March | 6:30 p.m. | Team 3 vs Team 4 |
13 th March | 6:30 p.m. | Team 1 vs Team 5 |
14 th March | 6:30 p.m. | Team 3 vs Team 2 |
15 th March | 6:30 p.m. | Team 1 vs Team 4 |
16 th March | 6:30 p.m. | Team 5 vss Team 2 |
17 th March | 6:30 p.m. | Team 1 vs Team 3 |
| 8:30 p.m. | Team 4 vs Team 5 |
18 th March | 6:30 p.m. | Team 5 vs Team 3 |
| 8:30 p.m. | Team 4 vs Team 2 |
ELIMINATOR - 19th March 2024: Team 2nd (After Super 5s) vs Team 3rd (After Super 5s) - 6:30 p.m.
FINAL - 21st March 2024: Team 1st (After Super 5s) vs Winner of Eliminator - 6:30 p.m.
(With Inputs from Press Release)
