Two leagues vie to become the major U.S. women’s volleyball league

The Pro Volleyball Federation, launched in 2024, entered its sophomore season this year only to find a rival: League One Volleyball, or LOVB, which began the following year. P.V.F.’s first All-Star match aired on CBS, filling an 8,000-seat arena and drawing more than 400,000 television viewers — a promising debut for a new league trying to win attention.

LOVB has pursued celebrity investors and big-brand partnerships, announcing backers such as Kevin Durant, Chelsea Handler, Amy Schumer and Billie Jean King, a deal with Kim Kardashian’s Skims and a multimillion-dollar arrangement with Adidas. Its model leans on centralized team-building and a youth pipeline of more than 75 clubs; the league said it raised $160 million and signed 10 of the 17 Olympic athletes.

P.V.F. has emphasized spectacle, American-style game-day experiences, a draft for top college players and team names like the Omaha Supernovas, with a championship that awarded a $1 million prize.

United States, Omaha

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