League One Volleyball (LOVB), an emerging professional women’s volleyball league, has confirmed the ownership group behind its new Miami franchise, part of a $20 million expansion deal. The ownership includes notable investment firms Suprette, Jett Sports, and Fifth Down Capital, alongside the family office of billionaire Chase Coleman, founder of Tiger Global Management, and his wife Stephanie. Other investors include WNBA legend Lisa Leslie and Olympic sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson. The Miami team, unveiling its roster in July, will join three other new franchises in Los Angeles, Minnesota, and San Francisco and begin play in the 2026-27 season.

Founded in 2020 as a youth volleyball network, LOVB has grown into a professional league entering its third season. Its commissioner, Sandra Idehen, emphasizes the league’s potential to become a major women-led sports league, riding on volleyball’s popularity, particularly in markets like Miami with strong indoor and beach volleyball followings. The league boasts a broadcast footprint on USA Network and ESPN platforms and connects deeply with grassroots programs serving approximately 30,000 young athletes. Volleyball is the most played girls’ high school team sport in the U.S., making the league well positioned to convert significant youth participation into fan engagement.

LOVB's expansion occurs amid a surge of investments in women’s sports, where franchise values and expansion fees are increasing rapidly. For example, Major League Volleyball’s Los Angeles expansion commanded a fee between $15 million and $20 million, while the National Women’s Soccer League saw a Columbus franchise sell for $205 million in April 2026. The WNBA’s expansion fees reached $250 million, with some teams now valued in the hundreds of millions. LOVB hired Inner Circle Sports to support future market growth and ownership acquisitions, aiming to capture and grow volleyball’s dedicated audience by leveraging collegiate and professional level interest.

Commissioner Idehen expresses optimism that as collegiate volleyball gains greater broadcast exposure and LOVB fills the gap in professional volleyball, public interest will rise quickly. She highlights the league's strategy to showcase high-caliber talent, with many players having national team experience, to rapidly increase fan engagement. With a season starting in December 2026, coinciding with notable NCAA volleyball events, LOVB is focused on enhancing the sport’s visibility and creating a sustainable professional league that capitalizes on volleyball’s established grassroots appeal.