Major League Volleyball Ends Year Three With Record Growth

BusinessSportsMoneyMajor League Volleyball Ends Year Three With Record GrowthByAllison Smith,Contributor.Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Contributing writer covering the business of women’s sportsFollow AuthorJun 12, 2026, 01:00pm EDTMajor League Volleyball announces another team to the league based out of Los Angeles. The team will begin play in 2027.Major League VolleyballRecently, Major League Volleyball announced the addition of another expansion team in Los Angeles that will join new team locations in Northern California, Washington, DC, and Minneapolis St. Paul for the 2027 season. The announcement comes off historic season and championship numbers for the league. ION and Scripps sports broadcasted the entire postseason and championship match, which reached nearly three million viewers across its coverage. The championship match peaked at more than 300,000 viewers and averaged 200,000 throughout the broadcast.“The MLV Championship weekend showed just how much momentum professional volleyball has right now. From a sold-out crowd and an incredible five-set final to record viewership and digital growth, the energy around our league continues to grow in a real way”, said Jamie Weston, MLV Commissioner.Major League Volleyball also understands the importance of being a league that is player centered and focused. For the championship win, the Dallas Pulse received a $1 million prize. In addition, all four semifinal teams received postseason bonuses, along with additional compensation for the players advancing to the final. MORE FOR YOUOverall, MLV has committed more than $1.5 million in bonuses to its players. This was intentional according to Weston who said, “That is a significant part of our investment is making sure bonuses happen, so you’re playing for something."She continued, "This is not exhibition. There’s something on the line, whether it’s the payout, the MVP, and all the other player awards that we gave out...