Ivan Miljkovič is a general manager of new volleyball project, the Association des Clubs Professionnels de Volleyball (ACPV). In an interview published on worldofvolley Ivan is speaking about goal of ACPV and his role in project.
What is ACPV? ACPV’s purpose is the representation of its Members and their interests and the development of professional club Volleyball through related and associated activities and in friendly cooperation with the CEV and FIVB. You can find more information on ACPV website.
Let’s dive into interview with Ivan Miljkovič.
Is it true that the ACPV wants to create a private league in volleyball?
There has been a lot of rumors about the ACPV and the intention of creating a first private competition for volleyball. I must say that any comparison with the future Superleague in football is not true. I am very sorry to say that for volleyball, but at this moment many things in volleyball Champions League are far away even from the current UEFA Football Champions League than you can imagine how far the volleyball is from the potential football Superleague (that league might not even be created). I am sorry to read and hear totally wrong information. That’s why I thank you for the possibility to explain the real mission and the ideas of the ACPV.
So, what are the ideas of the ACPV?
The mission of the ACPV is to help professional clubs and clubs grow organisationally and financially. The ACPV is protecting the rights and interests of its members through a friendly dialog with all the volleyball institutions. We consider the players and the clubs as the basics of volleyball. There are the same associations in football (ECA), basketball, handball (Handball Forum) and ice hockey for more than 10 years working closely with their federations.
How do you see your next steps?
The idea is to start the friendly discussion with the FIVB and CEV about many problems that concern volleyball clubs today: recognition of the professional contracts between the professional players and clubs (the agents are already recognized inside the FIVB Financial Regulations, but the clubs and players are not), ITC which is now on an authorization basis, and then the things that follow from that: international calendar, insurance for the players, recompensation for the clubs for sending players to play for the national team, etc. Nobody wants to take anything from anybody, but simply to modernize and modify the current system and create an additional value to everybody involved: players, clubs, agents, national federations, the FIVB and the CEV. That’s what our members ask from the ACPV and always insisting to do it in a friendly dialog and finding a solution acceptable for everybody. We have already the solutions prepared for the discussion.
You spoke about the international issues. What about the European Champions League? Is this competition inside your agenda?
With the team of experts, the ACPV is also preparing the document how to modernize the current top volleyball competition in Europe always inside the rules and the regulations of the CEV and the FIVB. The idea is, besides the sponsors, to include also the potential INVESTORS (banks, investment funds or private investors) who recognize volleyball as an interesting sport to invest in. For the volleyball that would bring more interest and more media coverage, and could bring to all more benefit than before. Especially to the clubs to reinvest back to clubs’ volleyball.
What is your current work as a general manager of the ACPV?
Lately, as a General Manager, I am working hard on spreading the word about the ACPV and informing people and clubs about the existence and our work. The response from the people is good and hopefully, the clubs can recognize the ACPV as a forum, a place for discussion and suggestions on how to modernize and shift clubs’ volleyball to another level. The association is not only for volleyball clubs and leagues, people with good ideas are also welcomed. We could just be more #StrongerTogether.
You can find complete interview with Ivan on worldofvolley.com.
