League One Volleyball (LOVB), the leading brand in youth volleyball and soon-to-be professional league launching in the U.S., has signed a media rights deal with ESPN. This partnership will bring pro matches to viewers on ESPN’s various channels and digital platforms including ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, and ESPN+. This agreement highlights ESPN’s strong support for volleyball as it gains popularity and achieves record-breaking attendance numbers worldwide.
“LOVB has set out on an ambitious path to develop volleyball into the next major American sports league, and we could not think of a better media company to have in this journey than ESPN,” said Rosie Spaulding, COO of LOVB Pro in a release. “With the championship-caliber of our athletes and the level of their play, we believe the sport of professional volleyball will capture the attention and excitement of sports fans across the United States, and we can’t wait to work with ESPN to introduce the next generation of superstar athletes and everything the sport has to offer to today’s passionate fans and tomorrow’s new ones.”
As part of the new agreement, ESPN will broadcast 10 LOVB Pro matches on its linear networks starting in January 2025, coinciding with the inaugural season of LOVB. Additionally, 18 of LOVB’s matches will be available for streaming on ESPN+. Every match broadcast will also feature commercials for LOVB, providing an opportunity for brands to reach the fervent volleyball fanbase across all ESPN platforms.
“As our coverage of collegiate volleyball continues to evolve, LOVB provides a great professional complement for those athletes and others to continue their careers and our coverage of both them and the sport,” said Daniel Margulis, Senior Director of Programming and Acquisitions at ESPN in a release. “We feel their growth model is an excellent one and are excited to partner with this great organization.”
