“Everyone Watches Women’s Sports” was a logo on a t-shirt that took on a life of its own during the 2024 Paris Olympics, as women’s sports became a huge driver of engagement for the Games. Volleyball was among those sports, and a silver medal-winning performance by the USA Women’s National Team only helped sustain that hype Stateside. Now, the sport is staring at a new horizon.
“This is a defining moment for volleyball in the U.S.,” Felix von Knorring, the Head of Media at Volleyball World, said in their official announcement on May 3. So what’s the fuzz all about? Well, Volleyball World, CBS Sports, and the Big Ten Network announced a unique three-way partnership for the first in U.S. volleyball history. And if you’re a fan, this next part will sound like music to your ears.
“NATIONAL TEAMS ARE ON TV. VolleyballWorld has announced that an agreement has been reached with CBSSN and Big Ten Network to broadcast international matches for Team USA.” Avid Volleyball wrote about the momentous news on X. This deal will bring comprehensive coverage of the 2025 Volleyball Nations League (VNL) and FIVB World Championships. Another positive development after PFV and now LOVB have made huge contributions to the pro volleyball scene.
What’s more? The three-way partnership won’t just bring the fans some key matches. CBSSN and the Big Ten Network will bring action from every Women’s and Men’s National Team match, including additional coverage during these two contests. “For the first time, fans will have consistent, high-quality access to the biggest international matches featuring Team USA,” said Felix von Knorring.
Credits: Instagram/Penn State Volleyball
“We’re incredibly proud to partner with CBS Sports and Big Ten Network,” he added. CBS Sports Programming’s Billy Stone and Senior Vice President of Programming and Digital Media at the Big Ten Network, Michael Calderson, expressed their delight in supporting USA volleyball. Billy Stone called the VNL and FIVB World Championships a “welcome addition” to their lineup. However, this may not be possible without the continuing growth of the college and pro scenes.
Volleyball’s unstoppable growth
We all know about the height NCAA volleyball reached in 2023, with the Nebraska Huskers bagging the world attendance record for a women’s sports event at 92,003. While college volleyball didn’t surpass that height in 2024, it broke new ground in broadcasting records. The ESPN network itself posted some historic stats, such as the 2024 NCAA tournament becoming the most-watched college volleyball tournament in the network’s history.
Fans consumed 1.3 billion minutes of the NCAA tournament on ESPN alone, while the semifinals became the most-watched on record, with 1.1 million fans tuning in. And it wasn’t just the NCAA tournament; ESPN reported a 21% increase from the 2023 regular season. Needless to say, these viewership milestones only helped Volleyball World see the importance of broadcasting to a bigger audience. Then there’s the pro volleyball scene.
The Professional Volleyball Federation broke attendance records in its second year. 13,486 showed up to support the Omaha Supernovas, smashing their previous U.S. Pro Volleyball Attendance Record on January 10, 2025. Finally, there was the new league on the block, the League One Volleyball, aka LOVB. While the league didn’t break indoor attendance records, it had a solid first season.
What’s more? The LOVB has already struck a multi-year broadcasting deal with ESPN. While the early broadcasts faced some first-year growing pains, the league ironed them out. And the pro scene is not done growing. Major League Volleyball announced its intention to launch its inaugural pro league in 2026, and the PVF’s Omaha Supernovas founder, Danny White, is backing the league. So it’s safe to say that USA volleyball sees an opportunity to grow alongside this explosive growth.
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