PSL Fan Night: An Experience to Remember for the Fans

We’ve all been to kick-off parties before.

The first kick-off party of the Philippine Super Liga (PSL) last July was phenomenal in itself, with a catwalk installed at the 7th High Club in The Fort and had the glitzy atmosphere of an A-List Hollywood affair. The volleybelles came dressed in glamorous attire and when they were introduced, they chasėd down the aisle along with their coaches and the party was on.

The festive spirit was initiated by league commissioner Dr. Ian Laurel, who knows how introduce a product. And although it was of an entry-level nature, it helped usher in a new era in Philippine women’s volleyball and the PSL Invitational went on to be a rousing success.

That’s what I expected when the league once again announced a kick-off party to usher in the second offering of the PSL, this time at the swanky URBN Bar and Kitchen, still at The Fort. I was wondering why it was called the PSL Fan Night. Last July, there no fans present and the event was confined to members of the media and those involved with the sport and the league. Through the auspices of Solar Sports—the league’s official broadcaster—a handful of fortunate aficionados were invited to join in the festivities and rub elbows with their idols.

In all, fifteen fans who joined a contest sponsored by the network got the unique opportunity to party with the personalities that will be seeing action in the upcoming PSL Grand Prix, which begins on Sunday, November 10 at the San Juan Arena.

But even before the lucky fans could show up, ten of the twelve imports who will be reinforcing the participating squads introduced themselves to the various members of the media present at the shindig. As dusk turned into night, members of the teams also began converging at the venue, led by the early bird in the PLDT MyDSL contingents—women’s and men’s teams. Of course the immediate thunder was stolen by actor and sportsman Richard Gomez, who really knew how to work a room. Women’s team stalwart Charo Soriano and Lizlee Ann Gata-Pantone looked ravishing in their red outfits and newly signed open-spiker Maru Banaticla showed up in a quaint little black dress.

Members of Team Cignal HD also began trickling in as Michelle Datuin even helped their import Li Zhan Zhan look as stunning as her by fixing up the Chinese youngster in the powder room before making her way to the floor.

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The TMS-Philippine Army Lady Troopers also came as a group and walked-in almost at the same time as some of the Petron Blaze Spikers, namely Gretchen Ho, Melissa Gohing and Stephanie Mercado; all looking like commercial models in their cocktail dresses. They were later joined by former UP Lady Maroons team captain Carmela Lopez—who many of us almost didn’t recognize as we had never seen her garbed up.

RC Cola had a few representatives in Ivy Remulla, Michiko Castañeda and Giza Yumang as well as their imports and coaching staff. The only team that failed to attend the event was Cagayan Valley as they had a tune-up game coinciding with the party.

The men’s teams, however, were all represented and while they began as nameless (tall) faces in the crowd, SCORE (the organizing body of the league) President Ramon “Tats” Suzara made sure they were acknowledged when he opened Fan Night with a short speech.

When the formalities ended, it was time to get Fan Night started and the energetic Chiqui Reyes made sure that there was never a dull moment during the entire event.

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The fans were broken into teams of three and two groups were able to participate in the icebreaker game wherein they had to “draft” two other members into their team for the “Carafe Drinking Contest”. One team decided to go for size by recruiting Lady Troopers center Mary Jean Balse and Systema men’s team attacker AJ Pareja, while the other went with who they wanted to spend quality time with and selected Petron’s Gretchen Ho and PLDT MyDSL’s Angela Benting. To everyone’s surprise, the group that had Ho and Benting “outdrank” the team that had Balse and Pareja. And that set the tone for the festive atmosphere for the rest of the night.

Solar Sports went out of its way to produce all the games that the fans were involved with, including the cult favourite “Four Pictures and a Word” (which a group that enrolled Charo Soriano and PLDT MyDSL Head Coach Roger Gorayeb fought for viciously to win) and eventually five round of “Minute to Win It (PSL Style)” where even the imports had got involved with the fans.

PLDT MyDSL’s American center Savannah Noyes showed her facial dexterity in a game called “Cookie in Mouth” which floored everyone witnessing and Gorayeb showed his footwork in a “Candy Shoot” game (I’m quite sure I got the titles all wrong). Through it all, the fans spent tremendous quality time with the players who joined the games, especially during portions that required strategizing. They got hugs and had precious photos taken with them and when the DJs took over; they danced the night away with the volleybelles.

Through it all, the players (including several men’s players) got caught up in the spirit of the undertaking: it’s for the fans. It was a party for those fifteen fans who showed up. I remember even tweeting that they must be the luckiest people in the world that night. Some of them even walked away with PSL League Passes—they get free seats to all the gamedays and all received Solar Sports jackets. They also brought home memories that will probably change their lives forever.

Solar Sports official Martin David was overwhelmed with the entire experience.

“I wish we could have held this for more fans and a really big venue,” David said. “This is the spirit of a true Fan Night and the teams were so game. I’m sure they’ll remember this night for the rest of their lives.”

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Laurel echoed the sentiment.

“We want to bring the sport closer to the fans and those who came here tonight really got to spend time with their heroes,” Laurel said. “I applaud the teams for being so participative and the imports also had a lot of fun.”

The players will be fierce competitors again starting Sunday, but for one night they came together to touch the lives of some of their fans.

I was honored to be part of the experience.

Also, I learned that having Noreen Go as a table-mate has its benefits. All the food somehow gravitated to our area and I also learned not to park a bottle of wine near volleybelles who try to use conversation to make you forget what you were drinking.

“This was a great evening,” Pareja exclaimed. “It’s rare that we get to spend time with the fans and each other in a social event. Great concept by everyone involved.”

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“Grabe ang swerte ng mga fans dito,” Army’s Rachel Anne Daquis quipped. “Sana sa susunod masmarami pa para masmasaya. Ang galing!”

Let’s suggest to the good commissioner a “Closing Ball” at the end of the tournament? Maybe it can coincide with the annual awards? What do you guys think?

Follow Noel Zarate on Twitter (@NoelZarate) and email sportztackle@yahoo.com