Volleyball made headlines this week, with Sportico reporting on Monday that a merger will see the two-season-old Pro Volleyball Federation (PVF) join with the incoming Major League Volleyball (MLV) for a joint 2026 launch.
Though originally separate ventures, the eight-team PVF will now adopt MLV branding, setting up a unified league valued at over $325 million.
Investors include owners from the NBA and MLS, as well as three-time US Olympic beach volleyball gold medalist Kerri Walsh Jennings.
With an anticipated 10 teams set to hit courts for the inaugural 2026 season, MLV already expects to add franchises in Washington, DC, and Northern California in 2027, with further expansion to 16 total teams planned by 2028.
Likely spurred in part by the previously planned MLV defection of the PVF's marquee team, the Omaha Supernovas, the volleyball merger keeps both the 2024 champions and the 2025 title-winning Orlando Valkyries in the same league.
Other established PVF teams in Atlanta, Columbus, Grand Rapids, Indianapolis, and San Diego will reportedly join Omaha and Orlando in continuing play under the new MLV banner, as will 2026 PVF expansion side Dallas.
Besides keeping top talent in-house, the consolidation of the two leagues also partially addresses the increasingly crowded women's volleyball landscape — one in which four different leagues aimed to compete in the upcoming year.
As for the remaining pro leagues — Athletes Unlimited Volleyball and 2025 debutant League One Volleyball (LOVB) — they'll continue to stand alone.
The Pro Volleyball Federation has signed its first media deal, bringing televised professional volleyball games to CBS Sports.
CBS Sports is the first media organization to partner with the PVF, and the deal likely includes domestic and international rights. According to Sportico, the deal includes a minimum of 10 matches to be aired in 2024 along with the league semifinals and championship games.
“This is another groundbreaking day in the history of Pro Volleyball Federation,” PVF co-founder Dave Whinham told Sportico. “We have a great partner that believes in the growth of women’s professional volleyball in North America. We are very proud of this relationship and excited about the dynamic new ways we will be able to present our matches within the CBS Sports platform.”
The PVF started in 2022 and includes seven teams with plans to expand next season. The existing teams are the Atlanta Vibe, Columbus Fury, Vegas Thrill, Grand Rapids Rise, Omaha Supernovas, Orlando Valkryies and San Diego Mojo, and the league will introduce teams in Kansas City, Dallas and Indianapolis in 2025.
“[Volleyball] is the only team sport in the world where the women’s version doesn’t take a backseat to the men’s version,” said Stephen Evans, one of the founders of the PVF. “And most people will tell you that the women’s version is more fun to watch and attend. It’s not a thing taking away from the men’s game. It’s just a different game.”
The matches will be aired primarily on CBS Sports Network, with the possibility that some may be aired on CBS throughout the partnership term. The PVF’s national broadcast schedule, which will include other media partnerships, will be released at a later date.