This month, Major League Volleyball commences its first season, in an effort to unify a sport that seems poised to either rocket to success or flatten itself with in-fighting.
MLV replaces the Pro Volleyball Federation, which enjoyed two seasons of steady, but unspectacular growth for the sport. With women’s pro sports showing wild popularity via the WNBA, for example, the financiers of MLV are hoping to carve a niche entertainment alternative.
Based in mid to large markets, MLV will start its first season under that name in eight cities:
- Atlanta
- Columbus
- Dallas
- Grand Rapids
- Indianapolis
- Omaha
- Orlando
- San Diego
The league plans to expand to Minneapolis in 2027. The league website calls 2026 the “3rd season,” though it nearly didn’t happen at all.
Before the first season of the PVF was complete, there were splinters in the organization. Omaha, which is by far the most volleyball-crazy market in the United States, started to chirp that the league needed a more firm vision that matched the expansive one from their ownership group.
For nearly a year before and during Season 2 of the PVF, Omaha planned to bolt the league to start a new venture, apparently with a few other teams to join. But at the last minute, the owners of the soon-to-be-abandoned PVF teams struck a deal to rebrand and stick with Omaha.
Among MLV teams, the Supernovas attract the most fans and the largest ratings from streamed and televised matches. They are essentially the New York Yankees or LA Dodgers of women’s professional volleyball. Without that market, and without that ownership group, the old PVF was doomed. Now, in Season 3 as the MLV, teams like Orlando, which won the title in Season 2, can count on a chance to build a product.
The first matches of Major League Volleyball start in January, with the season running through May. Most matches are streamed on YouTube, with a handful of contests on CBS Sports. Plans are to secure a nationwide broadcast deal.
