League One Volleyball (LOVB)

Co-Founder and Founding CEO Katlyn Gao joined Ares Management's Women in Wealth event to talk about how LOVB is rewriting the playbook for pro and youth sports. Katlyn talked about how our founders' vision to commercialize the biggest female sport in the country and how in doing so, LOVB seeks to drive better outcomes for the game, and those who play. Read more from Katlyn's interview with Ares Perspectives: https://lnkd.in/eyhS4nQn "For decades, capital flowed into marquee men’s franchises and media rights deals, while massive markets like volleyball went ignored. The LOVB founders didn’t just spot the gap—they moved to fill it. What they’re building isn’t just a league. It’s a business case for the future of sports."

We LOVB LA. Coming in 2027 – LOVB Los Angeles Volleyball. LOVB announced today its first expansion team -- adding Los Angeles as the league's 7th pro team -- and that we've entered into definitive agreements with Alexis Ohanian Sr. and Seven Seven Six 7️⃣7️⃣6️⃣ to lead the ownership group. “We’re thrilled to partner with Alexis and the Seven Seven Six team, true women’s sports champions who share our vision for the impact professional volleyball can have in the United States,” said Rosie Spaulding, President of LOVB Pro. “Their commitment strengthens the entire volleyball ecosystem, and marks an exciting new chapter for LOVB and the sport as a whole. We can’t wait to work with them to bring professional women’s volleyball to Southern California as we continue to grow the sport across the U.S.” “We're excited to make LOVB the third jewel in Seven Seven Six's LA sports family," said Alexis Ohanian, Founder of Seven Seven Six, and Founding Control Owner of the NWSL's Angel City FC and TGL's Los Angeles Golf Club. "Volleyball is such a natural addition for Southern California, which has already proven how warmly it embraces new pro sports teams." LOVB’s approach to ownership groups has focused on bringing together the right owners for the right markets. LOVB’s ownership structure unites team and league equity, ensuring a shared commitment to long-term growth. Together, with its new Los Angeles partners, LOVB will continue to drive fandom, expand access and establish the future of professional volleyball in the U.S.

📢 Calling College Students in Atlanta, Austin, Houston, Madison, Nebraska and Salt Lake 📢 Are you a current college student who loves volleyball, being actively involved in your community, and would like an exciting way to get involved with the LOVB Pro team in your city? Join the LOVB Crew! This ambassador program is exclusively for college students in/around our pro cities and is a great way to gain professional sports experience and partner with the LOVB Pro team in your city. As part of this program, you’ll learn impactful marketing and sales skills, have access to meaningful mentorship and networking opportunities, and you’ll live the LOVB mission of championing the sport of volleyball in the U.S.! The goal of the LOVB Crew program is to create relationships, networks, and develop lifelong LOVB Pro fans within your local community. Areas of opportunity: 🏐 Community Relations 🏐 Event Operations 🏐 Fan Experience/Field Production 🏐 Marketing/Communications 🏐 Photography/Videography 🏐 Production 🏐 Pro Team Operations 🏐 Social Media Link to apply: https://lnkd.in/ebUdBNMc

League One Volleyball unveils LOVB Essentials ✨ Finding sweats that truly fit volleyball athletes can be a challenge — from shorter sleeves to inseams that never quite work. Today, that changes. We’re proud to launch LOVB Essentials, a core sweats collection designed specifically for volleyball athletes. From liberos to middle blockers, LOVB Essentials delivers hybrid-fit sweatshirts and sweatpants that match the sport’s unique proportions — without sacrificing comfort or style. This collection reflects our youth-to-pro mission: listening to athletes at every age, understanding their unique needs, and creating everyday pieces that connect the volleyball community. Shop the first drop now featuring two pants options and an oversized crewneck, with more sizes and styles to come: https://lnkd.in/e-PVPmX5

LOVB is excited to announce Versant Media has acquired media rights for League One Volleyball (LOVB), bringing the premier women’s professional volleyball league in the U.S. to a national primetime audience on USA Network starting January 2026. “We’re thrilled to showcase the stars of LOVB and bring women’s pro volleyball to a national primetime audience on USA Network beginning this January,” said Celia Kohl, SVP, Strategy & Business Development for VERSANT. “These women are Olympic medalists and collegiate champions, representing some of the best volleyball players in the world. Our partnership with LOVB is the latest example of VERSANT’s commitment to highlighting premier women’s sports leagues on our networks and further establishes USA Network as a destination for top-tier sports programming.” Under the multi-year agreement, USA Network will exclusively air the league’s Match of the Week in primetime on Wednesday nights at 8 p.m. ET. The agreement also provides for live primetime coverage of the league’s playoffs, including the 2026 LOVB Championship Match where the champions will be crowned live on USA Network. “As professional women’s volleyball captures the hearts of fans around the world, we couldn’t imagine a better partner than VERSANT to help take the sport to the next level. With its deep Olympic heritage and proven track record in women’s sports, VERSANT is uniquely positioned to amplify the reach of our league and showcase the incredible talent of our athletes,” said Peter Hirschmann, LOVB Executive Chairman and Co-Founder. “This agreement is more than airtime—it’s about creating a stage worthy of the athletes and communities who are driving volleyball to become America’s next major league.” Read more: https://lnkd.in/eAySV-V4

LOVB Club President and LOVB CFO Mike Bufano joined the Breakthrough Work podcast with Ravi Kumar to discuss the momentum in women's sports. from youth to college to pro, and shares insights from how his experiences in executive roles at Panera Bread, Allbirds and PepsiCo are serving him as he leads the country's largest youth volleyball community.

From new broadcast deals to breakthrough commercial partnerships to attracting a new generation of fans, women’s sports are driving the most exciting shifts in the media landscape. Our Chief Business Officer Michelle (LaMothe) McGoldrick joined the conversation at the ADWEEK House Racquet Club, which explored how the rise of emerging women’s sports leagues are transforming audience engagement, sponsorship models, and storytelling across platforms

Introducing the LOVB x adidas Spezialist! Together with our partner adidas, we’re not just launching a shoe—we’re creating a cultural moment for volleyball. This collaboration is designed to honor volleyball’s unique culture, and give the volleyball community and fans of the sport something to wear with pride off the court. The shoe features LOVB’s signature colorway, and blends adidas’ performance heritage with LOVB’s bold identity. The LOVB x adidas Spezialist marks a milestone in our partnership with adidas, and is just the first in our footwear line as we innovate with adidas to create products, experiences, and cultural moments that expand our volleyball's reach and impact. The limited edition LOVB x adidas Spezialist is now on sale: https://lnkd.in/gqUKiJb4

Introducing the LOVB Advisory Board We're incredibly excited to welcome a visionary group of leaders who are joining forces with us to grow volleyball from grassroots to pro, and create new opportunities for athletes, coaches, and fans. The LOVB Advisory Board includes: Chad Biagini - President, Excel Search & Advisory Lynne Frank – Sports, Media and Entertainment Executive Foluke Gunderson – Trailblazing Volleyball Champion Nico Harrison – General Manager, Dallas Mavericks Warde Manuel – Director of Athletics, University of Michigan Salima Rockwell – Head Coach, Notre Dame / Commentator, U.S. WNT Derek Schiller – President & CEO, Atlanta Braves Maggie Schmerin – Chief Advertising Officer, United Airlines Mike Whan – CEO, United States Golf Association The Board will provide strategic counsel, industry expertise, and hands-on support to advance LOVB’s mission: elevating the sport, expanding access, and creating more opportunities for women and athletes nationwide while driving commercial and cultural success. “LOVB isn’t building a pro league or a network of youth clubs – we are building a community centered around championing the sport and everyone who plays it,” said Peter Hirschmann, LOVB Executive Chairman and Co-Founder. “Our Advisory Board brings the vision, expertise, and creativity needed to realize the impact volleyball can have on players of any age, from first-time players to world champions. Together, we will unlock the sport’s full potential, drive innovation, and ensure volleyball becomes one of America’s most celebrated and accessible sports.” LOVB has developed a model unique to American sports: a fully connected national ecosystem that fuels participation, develops talent, connects grassroots volleyball to the professional stage, and engages and grows communities of volleyball fans. Advisory Board members will support the scaling of LOVB’s youth club community and developmental programs, market and commercial expansion of the pro league, and advancement of the LOVB Foundation’s work to expand equity and access. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gMWDu7cn