LOVB Pro
 | |
| Sport | Volleyball |
|---|---|
| Founded | October 19, 2021 |
| Founder | Katlyn Gao |
| First season | 2025 |
| CEO | Katlyn Gao |
| No. of teams | 6 |
| Country | United States |
| Headquarters | Los Angeles, California, United States |
| TV partner(s) | ESPN |
| Streaming partner(s) | ESPN+ |
| Official website | LOVB.com |
LOVB Pro (pronounced "love" and commonly referred to by its full name League One Volleyball) is an American women's professional indoor volleyball league. The league is owned by LOVB, a volleyball body founded in 2020. Its first season will begin in January 2025.
History
[edit]League One Volleyball (LOVB) was founded in 2020 as a network of youth volleyball clubs across the United States with the intent of eventually creating and sustaining a professional league.[1]
On October 19, 2021, LOVB formally announced the creation of its professional league, branded as LOVB Pro.[2]
On September 28, 2022, LOVB raised $16.75 million in a Series A funding round, headlined by Billie Jean King and Kevin Durant.[3]
On March 9, 2023, LOVB announced its first professional cities as Atlanta, Georgia, and Houston, Texas.[4] On April 27, a team was added in Madison, Wisconsin.[5] On September 27, LOVB raised $35 million in a Series B round led by Lindsey Vonn, Jayson Tatum, and Candace Parker.[6] In December, the league announced it would be building a dedicated training facility for LOVB Madison in the Madison suburb of Sun Prairie.[7]
Inaugural season
[edit]On May 9, 2024, LOVB and ESPN announced an international media rights agreement that would see 10 matches broadcast on ESPN networks and an additional 18 streamed on ESPN+ for the 2025 season.[8] Team venues and schedules for the 2025 season were announced on July 18.[9]
The 2025 season will feature four matches per week; a single head-to-head match and a homestand-style "Weekend with LOVB", where one team will host two others for three total matches. An in-season tournament, the LOVB Classic, will be held alongside the Triple Crown NIT youth invitational in February in Kansas City, Missouri, with the finals held in April.[9]
Teams
[edit]
LOVB teams do not have traditional team names, and instead compete as "LOVB" followed by the city name.
| Team | Location | Venue | Capacity | Joined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LOVB Atlanta | College Park, Georgia | Gateway Center Arena | 3,500 | 2025 |
| LOVB Austin | Austin, Texas | H-E-B Center Strahan Arena |
8,700 10,000 |
2025 |
| LOVB Houston | Rosenberg, Texas | Fort Bend Epicenter | 10,000 | 2025 |
| LOVB Madison | Madison, Wisconsin | Wisconsin Field House Alliant Energy Center |
7,540 7,432 |
2025 |
| LOVB Omaha | Omaha, Nebraska | Liberty First Credit Union Arena Baxter Arena |
4,600 7,898 |
2025 |
| LOVB Salt Lake | Salt Lake City, Utah | Lifetime Activities Center Maverik Center |
5,000 12,500 |
2025 |
See also
[edit]- Volleyball in the United States
- National Volleyball Association
- Athletes Unlimited Volleyball
- Pro Volleyball Federation
References
[edit]- ^ "USA Volleyball and League One Volleyball Announce Partnership". USA Volleyball. Retrieved May 9, 2024.
- ^ Chappell, Bill (October 19, 2021). "Are you ready for some volleyball? A new women's pro league hopes the answer is yes". NPR.
- ^ Smith, Chris (September 28, 2022). "League One Volleyball looks to accelerate growth after Series A funding round". Sports Business Journal. Retrieved April 24, 2024.
- ^ "LOVB, eyeing 2024 pro volleyball season, announces Atlanta and Houston locations". Volleyballmag.com. March 9, 2023. Retrieved April 24, 2024.
- ^ Jacques, Mike; Nijhawan, Shaina (April 27, 2023). "Professional volleyball coming to Madison". WMTV-TV. Retrieved April 24, 2024.
- ^ Feldman, Jacob (September 27, 2023). "League One Volleyball Raises $35 Million to Serve Growing Fanbase". Sportico.com. Retrieved April 24, 2024.
- ^ Jacobs, Kylie (December 4, 2023). "LOVB Madison to open first pro facility; announce first pro player". WMTV-TV. Retrieved April 24, 2024.
- ^ Cahillane, Mollie (May 9, 2024). "League One Volleyball signs media deal with ESPN ahead of debut". Sports Business Journal. Retrieved May 9, 2024.
- ^ a b Feinswog, Lee (July 18, 2024). "League One Volleyball announces 2025 pro venues, six-team schedule". Volleyballmag.com. Retrieved July 25, 2024.