Honestly, for decades, if you were a top-tier volleyball player in the U.S., your graduation day was basically a "one-way ticket to Europe" day. You packed your bags, moved to a tiny town in Italy or Turkey, and hoped your family could figure out the time zone difference to watch a grainy livestream.
That’s finally over.
The United States professional volleyball league scene isn't just one thing anymore; it’s a full-blown movement. But if you’re looking for a single, monolithic league like the NFL, you’re going to get confused fast. Right now, in early 2026, the landscape is split between two massive giants: Major League Volleyball (MLV) and League One Volleyball (LOVB).
The Great Merger: How Major League Volleyball Took Over
Last year, everyone was talking about the "Volleyball Wars." We had the Pro Volleyball Federation (PVF) and a startup called Major League Volleyball both fighting for the same fans. It was messy.
Then, in August 2025, they did the smart thing. They merged.
They kept the name Major League Volleyball (MLV), and it basically swallowed the old PVF structure. If you’re following the 2026 season right now, you’re seeing the results of that marriage. The league is currently running with eight heavy-hitter teams:
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- Orlando Valkyries (The 2025 defending champs who just raised their banner)
- Omaha Supernovas (The 2024 inaugural winners)
- Atlanta Vibe
- Columbus Fury
- Grand Rapids Rise
- San Diego Mojo
- Indy Ignite
- Dallas Pulse (The new kids on the block for 2026)
The cool thing about MLV is the "American" style. It’s got a traditional season that feels like the NBA or MLB. You’ve got home games, away games, and a massive 50-match national broadcast deal across ION, CBS Sports, and Roku. If you want to see Brittany Abercrombie or Pornpun "Chompoo" Guedpard tearing it up, this is where you go.
LOVB: The "Pro-to-Club" Revolution
While MLV is trying to be a major league power, League One Volleyball (LOVB)—pronounced "love"—is doing something totally different.
LOVB isn't just a league; it’s an ecosystem. They’ve spent years buying up youth volleyball clubs across the country. The idea is that the pro team in Austin or Madison is directly connected to the 12-year-olds playing in the local sports plex.
The 2026 LOVB season is only in its second year, but the talent is insane. We’re talking about Jordan Thompson, Kelsey Robinson Cook, and Madi Skinner. They focus on "pro weekends" where the teams travel together, creating these massive festivals of volleyball.
Why the 2026 Season is Different
For a long time, people thought these two leagues couldn't coexist. "The market isn't big enough," they said. They were wrong.
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In 2026, we’ve seen the United States professional volleyball league market actually expand. MLV is already planning to add Washington D.C. and a Northern California team (owned by the Sacramento Kings' Vivek Ranadivé) for 2027. Fans aren't picking one league over the other; they’re watching both because, frankly, the quality of play in the U.S. is now arguably better than most mid-tier European leagues.
What about the Men?
This is the part that usually gets ignored. While the women’s game is exploding with multi-million dollar investments, the men’s United States professional volleyball league experience is a bit more "indie."
The Volleyball League of America (VLA) is the main show here. It’s not at the same financial scale as MLV or LOVB yet, but it’s growing. Just this season, the VLA partnered with USA Volleyball to integrate their Tier 1 Men’s Championship into the Adult Open National Championship.
It’s more of a "Tier 1" semi-pro to pro hybrid. Teams like the Ohio Valley Unicorns and Team Pineapple (founded by Olympic gold medalist Lloy Ball) are keeping the men's game alive on U.S. soil. It’s gritty, it’s fast, and while the paychecks aren't in the six figures yet, the competition is world-class.
The "College Problem" that solved itself
One of the biggest misconceptions is that pro volleyball is competing with the NCAA. Actually, the NCAA is the greatest marketing tool these leagues have.
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When Sarah Parsons (formerly Sarah Wilhite) or Norah Sis take the court for the Omaha Supernovas, the stadium is packed with girls wearing their old college jerseys. The leagues have figured out that "hometown heroes" sell tickets. That’s why LOVB purposefully places stars back in the cities where they played college ball. It’s brilliant business.
Is it actually a viable career now?
Let's talk money, because that’s what defines a "real" league. In MLV, top players are making anywhere from $60,000 to over $125,000 for a season that lasts about four to five months.
Compare that to the old days of making $20,000 in a random Eastern European city where you don’t speak the language. Plus, players now get a cut of league revenue. They have health insurance. They have marketing deals with brands like Franklin Sports and Athletic Brewing.
How to actually follow the sport in 2026
If you're trying to jump in now, here's how the calendar usually shakes out:
- January – May: This is prime time. MLV and LOVB are both running their main seasons. You can find matches almost every night of the week on YouTube or national TV.
- The "Off-Season": Many players still head overseas or play in Athletes Unlimited (AU), which is a shorter, five-week "individual" style season usually held in the fall.
- National Team: During the summer, the best of the best are with Team USA for the Volleyball Nations League (VNL) or the Olympics/World Championships.
Moving Forward
The United States professional volleyball league isn't a "growing experiment" anymore. It’s a settled reality. With MLV and LOVB both securing major TV time and expanding into new cities like Dallas and Indy, the infrastructure is finally catching up to the talent.
If you want to support the sport, stop just watching the highlights on TikTok. Buy a ticket. The atmosphere in places like Omaha (where they regularly pull 10,000+ fans) is unlike anything else in American sports.
Actionable Next Steps:
- Check the Major League Volleyball (MLV) standings on their official YouTube channel to see how the Dallas Pulse is faring in their inaugural season.
- Look up the LOVB Match of the Week schedule on USA Network; these are usually the highest-production matches with the most Olympians on court.
- If you're in a city with a team, go to a "First Serve" event. Pro volleyball is one of the few sports where players are still incredibly accessible to fans for autographs and photos after the match.