Players have to run out of the warm-up zone and spread their wings.
In the case of candidates who are not their main players, most of them wear jackets and cheer for the team in the warm-up zone. If you don’t have a chance to leave the court even if you want to, you may end your career by cheering for the team cheerleader in the warm-up zone until retirement.
In the midst of this situation, Korean professional volleyball faces a new turning point. It is preparing for new changes in the introduction of the second-tier league, which has been a series of pros and cons.
In June, Kim Yeon-kyung of Heungkuk Life Insurance met with Yoo In-chon, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, and expressed the need for a professional volleyball second-tier league for the future of Korean volleyball. “We need a long-term project to ensure a strong future from young boys to national teams,” Kim Yeon-kyung said. “If we have a second-tier system, it will be a good opportunity for both players and leaders.” This suggests a direction to move forward with the current state of volleyball.
Park Ki-won, the current coach of the Thai volleyball team, also expressed sympathy for Kim. “I can feel the sincerity of Kim Yeon-koung. The second-tier league will be an important turning point not only for the V-League but also for the entire Korean volleyball community,” Park said, expressing his affection for Korean volleyball.
The need for a professional volleyball second-tier league is not what it was yesterday and today. This issue, which was raised 10 years ago, is essential from the perspective of player development. However, no one took the lead, and it has been in place for reasons such as cost burden. As of 2024, the volleyball community is realizing that the second-tier league is a task that cannot be delayed any longer.
President of the Korea Volleyball Federation (KOVO) Cho Won-tae announced at the 20th anniversary ceremony in October that he would introduce the second-tier league from the 2026-27 season, and came up with a practical implementation plan. He stressed a realistic approach, saying, “The second-tier league does not have to be grand. We have to start with a simple concept that the second-tier league plays, not the first-tier league.”
Currently, there are a total of 14 clubs in the V-League, with seven for men and seven for women. Some of them have already shown positive responses to the operation of the second-tier league. However, considering the reality that not all clubs can participate, it is also possible to introduce an anomalous management method. For example, clubs that have difficulty forming a second-tier team may jointly manage a team or cooperate with an unemployed team.
The second-tier league is important in that it provides game opportunities for players who only stay in the warm-up zone. It is possible to increase transparency by disclosing player entries every day through the KOVO website and to revitalize competition between the first and second teams. Through this, it is possible to improve the quality of the first-tier stage as well as promote the growth of individual players.
Regarding the introduction of the second-tier league, an official of a club said, “If a good player is created through player development, the level of the league will be raised, and Korean volleyball will naturally improve. The introduction of the second-tier league is urgent to foster and provide player opportunities.” This shows that the second-tier league is a key device to increase the overall competitiveness of the league, beyond simply giving players opportunities.
In addition, the second-tier league will be an important stage to provide hands-on experiences to rookie players. Currently, many rookie players are not allowed to play even a single game during the season. The second-tier league will change this reality and provide players with the opportunity to play consistently and check their skills.
The introduction of the second-tier league has a positive effect on the club’s parent company. Sports are a powerful means of corporate promotion and strengthening the brand image. If the second-tier league operates stably, it will lead to performance in international games and improvement in the league level, which will maximize the parent company’s promotional effect.
However, there are objections. A club official said, “When I asked the players about the second division league, they said they would go to the unemployed league if there was a salary gap. Fostering is important, but I doubt whether the players will really want it.”
This is a realistic problem in that the salary gap between the first and second groups can affect the choices of players. In particular, if professional players leave for an unemployed league, the overall power of the league can be weakened.
There is also concern that it is difficult to expect a great effect if the second-tier league is simply operated as a miniature version of the first-tier league. Therefore, a creative and flexible approach is needed in the way it is operated.
The second-tier league will play a key role in strengthening the overall system of Korean volleyball beyond just being a backup for the first-tier players. Currently, some of the men’s and women’s vocational teams are showing their willingness to participate in the competition through cooperation with the second-tier leagues. It is expected to have a positive effect on both sides through good faith competition between vocational and professional volleyball. 바카라사이트
The second-tier league is a prerequisite for a new leap forward in Korean volleyball. It provides players with more game opportunities and enhances the competitiveness of the league, which can maximize the promotional effect of the parent company beyond the popularity of volleyball.
The second-tier league is a task that can no longer be delayed so that players who have been dreaming of staying in the warm-up zone, also known as the “chicken farm,” can spread their wings on a new stage.
This is the starting point for Korean volleyball to continue to be competitive on the world stage. The introduction of the second-tier league is not just a cost, but an important investment for the league’s future.
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