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'LOVB (League One Volleyball) is a professional women's volleyball league starting in 2025.{{Short description|American women's volleyball league}} {{Use American English|date=April 2024}} {{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}} {{Infobox sports league | title = League One Volleyball | current_season = | logo = LOVB Pro logo.png | logo_upright = 0.8 | sport = Volleyball | founded = {{Start date and age|2021|10|19}} | owner = League One Volleyball | inaugural = 2025 | ceo = Katlyn Gao | commissioner = | teams = 6 | headquarters = [[Los Angeles]], [[California]], United States | country = [[United States]] | champion = | champ_season = | most_champs = | TV = [[ESPN]] | streaming = [[ESPN+]] | website = {{url|https://www.lovb.com }} '''LOVB Pro'''<!--LOVB does not call it League One Volleyball and only refers to it as LOVB Pro> is an American women's professional [[indoor volleyball]] league. The league is a volleyball company founded in 2020. Its first season will begin in January 2025. == History == League One Volleyball (LOVB) was founded in 2020 by Katlyn Gao, Peter Hirschmann, and Olympian [[Kevin Wong]] as a network of youth volleyball clubs across the United States with the intent of eventually creating and sustaining a professional league.<ref>{{Cite web |title=USA Volleyball and League One Volleyball Announce Partnership |url=https://usavolleyball.org/story/usa-volleyball-and-league-one-volleyball-announce-partnership/ |access-date=2024-05-09 |website=USA Volleyball |language=en-US}}</ref> {{As of|August 2024}}, LOVB's youth business includes 60 club locations in 24 states, with over 14,000 youth athletes and 3,000 coaches. These clubs provide volleyball coaching and preparation for team competition for youth ages 12-18 interested in playing travel volleyball. <ref>{{Cite web |last=Pimental |first=Joseph |date=March 11, 2023 |title=Are you ready for some volleyball? A new women's pro league hopes the answer is yes |url=https://spectrumnews1.com/ca/la-west/news/2023/03/10/lovb-sets-groundwork-for-women-s-pro-volleyball-league- |website=Spectrum News}}</ref> On October 19, 2021, LOVB formally announced the creation of its professional league, branded as LOVB Pro.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Chappell |first=Bill |date=October 19, 2021 |title=Are you ready for some volleyball? A new women's pro league hopes the answer is yes |url=https://www.npr.org/2021/10/19/1046097636/women-volleyball-pro-league-one-new-lovb |website=NPR}}</ref> On March 9, 2023, LOVB announced its first professional cities as [[Atlanta, Georgia]], and [[Houston, Texas]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2023-03-09 |title=LOVB, eyeing 2024 pro volleyball season, announces Atlanta and Houston locations |url=https://volleyballmag.com/lovb-announces-atlanta-houston-030923/ |access-date=2024-04-24 |website=Volleyballmag.com |language=en-US}}</ref> Upon announcement, each team also announced their first player or players (all of whom have won Olympic medals), dubbed their "founding athletes"; Atlanta announced [[Fabiana Claudino]] and [[Kelsey Robinson|Kelsey Robinson-Cook]], and Houston announced [[Micha Hancock]] and [[Jordan Thompson (volleyball)|Jordan Thompson]].<ref name=":0" /> On April 27, a team was added in [[Madison, Wisconsin]] with founding athlete [[Lauren Carlini]].<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Jacques |first1=Mike |last2=Nijhawan |first2=Shaina |date=2023-04-27 |title=Professional volleyball coming to Madison |url=https://www.wmtv15news.com/2023/04/27/profession-volleyball-coming-madison/ |access-date=2024-04-24 |website=[[WMTV-TV]] |language=en}}</ref> On June 5, the fourth city was announced as [[Salt Lake City|Salt Lake City, Utah]], led by founding athletes [[Jordyn Poulter]] and [[Haleigh Washington]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Page |first=Jared |date=2023-06-05 |title=LOVB invites Salt Lake City to host new pro women's volleyball team |url=https://gephardtdaily.com/sports/lovb-invites-salt-lake-city-to-host-new-pro-womens-volleyball-team/ |access-date=2024-08-03 |website=Gephardt Daily |language=en-US}}</ref> On August 16, [[Omaha, Nebraska]] was announced as the fifth host city with founding athletes [[Jordan Larson]] and [[Justine Wong-Orantes]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Krueger |first=Adam |date=2023-08-16 |title=Omaha named new team in League One Volleyball |url=https://www.3newsnow.com/sports/omaha-named-new-team-in-league-one-volleyball |access-date=2024-08-03 |website=[[KMTV-TV]] |language=en}}</ref> In December, the league announced it would be building a dedicated training facility for LOVB Madison and area LOVB youth squads in the Madison suburb of [[Sun Prairie, Wisconsin|Sun Prairie]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Jacobs |first=Kylie |date=2023-12-04 |title=LOVB Madison to open first pro facility; announce first pro player |url=https://www.wmtv15news.com/2023/12/04/lovb-madison-open-first-pro-facility-annouce-first-pro-player/ |access-date=2024-04-24 |website=[[WMTV-TV]] |language=en}}</ref> A week later, the league announced its final city as [[Austin, Texas]], with founding athlete [[Carli Lloyd (volleyball)|Carli Lloyd]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Jones |first=Kimberley |date=2023-12-11 |title=A New Women's Pro Volleyball League Is Launching in Austin in 2024 |url=https://www.austinchronicle.com/daily/sports/2023-12-11/a-new-womens-pro-volleyball-league-is-launching-in-austin-in-2024/ |access-date=2024-08-03 |website=[[The Austin Chronicle]] |language=en-US}}</ref> ===Inaugural season=== 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.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cahillane |first=Mollie |date=2024-05-09 |title=League One Volleyball signs media deal with ESPN ahead of debut |url=https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/2024/05/09/espn-league-one-volleyball |access-date=2024-05-09 |website=Sports Business Journal |language=en}}</ref> Team venues and schedules for the 2025 season were announced on July 18.<ref name="format">{{Cite web |last=Feinswog |first=Lee |date=2024-07-18 |title=League One Volleyball announces 2025 pro venues, six-team schedule |url=https://volleyballmag.com/lovb-arenas-schedule-071824/ |access-date=2024-07-25 |website=Volleyballmag.com |language=en}}</ref> 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.<ref name="format"/> == Teams == {{OSM Location map | coord={{coord|37|-98}} | zoom=3 | width=280 | height=200 | mark-size1=16 | shape1=n-circle | shape-color1=#47D3DF | caption={{div col|small=yes|colwidth=11em}}{{Ubl | {{#invoke:overlay|icon|1|#47D3DF}} LOVB Atlanta | {{#invoke:overlay|icon|2|#47D3DF}} LOVB Austin | {{#invoke:overlay|icon|3|#47D3DF}} LOVB Houston | {{#invoke:overlay|icon|4|#47D3DF}} LOVB Madison | {{#invoke:overlay|icon|5|#47D3DF}} LOVB Omaha | {{#invoke:overlay|icon|6|#47D3DF}} LOVB Salt Lake }}{{div col end}} | mark-title1 = LOVB Atlanta | mark-description1 = <br /> | mark-coord1 = {{Coord|33.4456|-84.2324}} | mark-title2 = LOVB Austin | mark-description2 = <br /> | mark-coord2 = {{Coord|30.162|-97.4435}} | mark-title3 = LOVB Houston | mark-description3 = <br /> | mark-coord3 = {{Coord|29.4546|-95.2259}} | mark-title4 = LOVB Madison | mark-description4 = <br /> | mark-coord4 = {{Coord|43.0429|-89.2303}} | mark-title5 = LOVB Omaha | mark-description5 = <br /> | mark-coord5 = {{Coord|41.1531|-95.5615}} | mark-title6 = LOVB Salt Lake | mark-description6 = <br /> | mark-coord6 = {{Coord|40.4539|-111.5328}} }} LOVB teams do not have traditional team names, and instead compete as "LOVB" followed by the city name. {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" |+LOVB Pro teams !scope="col"| Team !scope="col" class="unsortable" | Location !scope="col" class="unsortable" | Venue !scope="col"| Capacity !scope="col"| Joined |- !scope="row"| '''LOVB Atlanta''' | [[College Park, Georgia]] || [[Gateway Center Arena]] || 3,500 || 2025 |- !scope="row"| '''LOVB Austin''' | [[Austin, Texas]] || [[H-E-B Center]]<br>[[Strahan Arena]] || 8,700<br>10,000 || 2025 |- !scope="row"| '''LOVB Houston''' | [[Rosenberg, Texas]] || [[Fort Bend Epicenter]] || 10,000 || 2025 |- !scope="row"| '''LOVB Madison''' | [[Madison, Wisconsin]] || [[Wisconsin Field House]]<br>[[Alliant Energy Center]] || 7,540<br>7,432 || 2025 |- !scope="row"| '''LOVB Omaha''' | [[Omaha, Nebraska]] || [[Liberty First Credit Union Arena]]<br>[[Baxter Arena]] || 4,600<br>7,898 || 2025 |- !scope="row"| '''LOVB Salt Lake''' | [[Salt Lake City, Utah]] || [[Lifetime Activities Center]]<br>[[Maverik Center]] || 5,000<br>12,500 || 2025 |} ==Sponsorship and funding== On September 28, 2022, LOVB raised $16.75 million in a [[Series A round|Series A funding round]], headlined by [[Billie Jean King]] and [[Kevin Durant]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Smith |first=Chris |date=2022-09-28 |title=League One Volleyball looks to accelerate growth after Series A funding round |url=https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Daily/Issues/2022/09/28/Leagues-and-Governing-Bodies/League-One-Volleyball.aspx |access-date=2024-04-24 |website=Sports Business Journal |language=en}}</ref> A year later, LOVB raised $35 million in a [[Series B|Series B round]] led by [[Lindsey Vonn]], [[Jayson Tatum]], and [[Candace Parker]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Feldman |first=Jacob |date=2023-09-27 |title=League One Volleyball Raises $35 Million to Serve Growing Fanbase |url=https://www.sportico.com/leagues/other-sports/2023/league-one-volleyball-funding-teams-launch-1234739900/ |access-date=2024-04-24 |website=Sportico.com |language=en-US}}</ref> On June 17, 2024, LOVB and [[Adidas]] signed an apparel partnership that would make Adidas the uniform supplier of LOVB Pro.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Pelit |first=Asli |date=2024-06-17 |title=Adidas, League One Volleyball Ink Multiyear Partnership |url=https://www.sportico.com/leagues/other-sports/2024/adidas-league-one-volleyball-multiyear-partnership-1234784271/ |access-date=2024-08-03 |website=Sportico.com |language=en-US}}</ref> Two days later, LOVB announced a partnership with [[Spanx]], the apparel brand's first sports partnership, to provide apparel and support league initiatives for LOVB's youth and professional circuits.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hendriksz |first=Vivian |date=2024-06-19 |title=Spanx partners with League One Volleyball to support young volleyball players |url=https://fashionunited.com/news/business/spanx-partners-with-league-one-volleyball-to-support-young-volleyball-players/2024061960488 |access-date=2024-08-03 |website=FashionUnited |language=en}}</ref> == See also == * [[Volleyball in the United States]] * [[National Volleyball Association]] * [[Athletes Unlimited Volleyball]] * [[Pro Volleyball Federation]] == References == {{Reflist}} == External links == * {{official website|https://www.lovb.com/pro-league}} {{Volleyball in the United States}} {{Major women's sport leagues in North America}} {{Professional Women's Volleyball Leagues}} {{Authority control}} [[Category:National volleyball leagues|United States]] [[Category:2021 establishments in the United States]] [[Category:Women's volleyball leagues]] [[Category:Women's volleyball in the United States]] [[Category:Professional sports leagues in the United States]]-->'