There have been several major sports events hosted in Nebraska, but it’s the historic debut of the new Professional Volleyball Federation for women that has hit the headlines this year. The new PVF tournament was launched on 24th January, attracting over 11,600 people at the CHI Health Center.
The huge turnup set a record for the PVF inaugural game between the Omaha Supernovas and Atlanta Vibe. It was also the largest attendance record in history for women’s pro volleyball in the US, beating the previous attendance record of about 10,000 people during the 2016 Olympic qualifier hosted in Lincoln, Nebraska.
This 2024 sports event featured a dramatic five-setter that helped the Atlanta Vibe to emerge victorious over Omaha with a 3-2 scoreline. Despite the disappointing loss, the Supernova’s head coach Shelton Collier was impressed with the turnout. Collier also believes that Omaha was the best choice to host the PVF debut game compared to all the seven cities in the league thanks to the city’s heavy concentration of volleyball enthusiasts.
Speaking after the game, Collier said the fan turnout was quite incredible and the other six cities will need to work extra hard to bring in good numbers in the upcoming games. Fortunately, volleyball fans will get the chance to wager on the games as the league continues evolving. As such, you can browse โปรโมชันคาสิโนและเดิมพันกีฬา พร้อมรหัสโบนัส to find the best bookmakers with sports bonus offers.
Giving American professional volleyballers a chance to stay home
For decades, the top female indoor volleyballers have competed in various professional leagues overseas after ending their collegiate careers. With the rising popularity of volleyball in the US, there’s a dedicated effort to make professional volleyball a more mainstream sport in the country. As such, there are three leagues in development hoping to achieve this goal.
Besides the Professional Volleyball Federation, there is Athletes Unlimited launched in 2021 with 15 games every season over five weeks. There’s also the League One Volleyball (LOVB), which will feature a team in Omaha and it’s expected to kick off later this fall.
Leah Edmond is among the top pro volleyballers who have taken her game outside the US and now serves as an outside hitter for the Atlanta Vibe. Edmond started her collegiate volleyball career in Kentucky and went ahead to play professionally in Puerto Rico from 2021 to 2022. She also participated in the Athlete Unlimited league in 2024, before becoming the first player to join the PVF.
During the debut game against the Supernovas, Edmond finished as the top scorer after recording 29 points for her side. After the match, she revealed her excitement about playing a professional volleyball season that will continue until May and the much-needed support that the sport is gradually getting in the US.
Hope for a brighter Future
Since the beginning, most fans have wondered whether the PVF will make it in the long run. However, the Supernova’s head coach Collier believes that the debut game set the pace for the potential success of this professional volleyball league with the large crowd it attracted on the first game. Nonetheless, there’s still much work to be done.
Previously, similar attempts to make a volleyball league haven’t lasted. For instance, the Major League Volleyball League launched in 1987 folded in its third season. That has left many leading volleyball players in the US performing overseas to make a living playing the sport professionally. As such, many volleyball enthusiasts and players are eager to see what happens to the new league.
