New try for a Professional Volleyball League in the USA?

[aranhahunter]

Hello,

I just joined this forum so if this has no place here, then feel free to lock/delete the thread. I joined this forum because I was wondering why the US was such an international powerhouse in VB but had no professional domestic league. This also seems to be the busiest volleyball forum on the net (at least based on my google search). I have read some old threads about professional leagues and all the failures (MLV, USPV) and empty promises that look more like a troll line (WNVL, USPVL, USCVL) that have happened in the past. The only current post collegiate league I found is the Premier Volleyball League seems to be a way for amateur clubs to enter tournaments and keep weekend athletes and fans of the sport happy and competing in a high level tournament (for amateur level). I like what PVL is doing, but it's not a professional league as seen in other countries and in other sports in this country.

I have also found a new effort for a professional volleyball league, the Grand Prix Volleyball League, which is supposed to be sanctioned by USA Volleyball. I searched the forum and didn't find anything on this league so I decided to create this thread. This is the link where they briefly mention volleyball:

www.businesswire.com/news/home/20131219006610/en/RFL-Names-Commissioner#.UsiiXPRDtBM

I did email some POCs from USAV website asking about GPV League, and trying to see if they were really sanctioning them, but never got an answer from them. Anyways, this is what I can gather:

1) They have named Gino Grajeda (I think that's the correct guy) as president of the league
2) They are sanctioned by USAV since 2012 until at least 2018
3) Frank Grant will be the commissioner for the Rugby and Volleyball league, at least initially. I did email this guy about Rugby VIIs before he was named commissioner and did get an answers, though he stopped replying to me after I told him I wasn't an accredited investor lol. I also got an answer from Eric White, but he also stopped talking to me when I told him I was just a fan. From what I can tell, Rugby VIIs will be the initial league to launch and then they will focus on Major League Rugby and Men's and Women's Professional Indoor Volleyball League
4) Grand Prix Entertainment has a bunch of live trademarks, but they are all either new filings or their status are not complete. Grand Prix Volleyball, for example, has a status of, "NON-FINAL ACTION - MAILED". I'm not gonna try to lie and say I know what all that means, I don't, but it can't be too good.
5) Says Professional USA Volleyball Next, implying it'll launch after their pro Rugby league
6) Perkins Coie, Capitol Pacific Group, and Fenzi Media Group are tied to this
7) Apparently the first 4 franchise owners of their pro rugby league will also be the owner of the first 4 volleyball teams. First 4 markets for Rugby VIIs are NY, LA, Dallas, Chicago, but it's unclear if VB will be on those same markets
8) Rugby enthusiasts are frustrated because this is taking way too long to get off the ground


This is the part most people want to know, about pro volleyball:


GRAND PRIX VOLLEYBALL

Grand Prix and Exclusively Sanctioned and Licensed joint venture partner and U.S. Olympic Committee member USA Volleyball confirmed that plans were being finalized with a formal announcement imminent re the long awaited launch of the Grand Prix Volleyball League (the “VBL”). Offering Founding Franchises in America’s first professional indoor volleyball leagues for both men and women, the VBL will kick off via Grand Prix’s innovative two-phased platform. Grand Prix Chairman Tatham stated, “Our objective is to offer Grand Prix’s Founding Franchisees the rare opportunity to maximize economies of scale and equity appreciation by owning both professional rugby and volleyball franchises in their desired major U.S. media market.”


Maybe some people with more pull and more contacts can get a hold of these folks and verify their credibility. I keep thinking it's a scam and wasn't even going to post this thread, but with USA Rugby AND USA Volleyball sanctioning them, I think there might be something valid here.

[vbnerd]

Its called the Premier League
www.usapvl.com/

It isn't really a league, and its semi-pro, more than pro, but it's a first step and we'll see what it can develop into.

[aranhahunter]

No, this is different. I mentioned as much. USA PVL is headed by Steve Bishop and is also sanctioned by USA Volleyball. As you said, it's a tournament style semi pro (more amateur with a grand prize IMO) league.

This is headed by William Tatham and is called Grand Prix Entertainment/Grand Prix Sports.

Whether or not something comes out of this, remains to be seen, but it's not the usapvl. I remain skeptical due to the lack of information and clarity, as well as the delays on launching the rugby league. The POCs on the emails on the links do reply, but they seem to only want to talk to investors. I figured I would share the info anyway.

www.grandprixentertainment.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=89:grand-prix-entertainment-expands-exclusive-sports-content&catid=25:featured&Itemid=280

[blastingsand]

Women's team sports is just tough to keep running in the USA. Pro softball is a good example of the pro league struggles.
Will volleyball be able to draw a crowd? get sponsors? The up and down AVP was able to somewhat have some success, but can indoor volleyball do it?

[Deleted]

Jan 5, 2014 5:05:48 GMT -5 blastingsand said:

Women's team sports is just tough to keep running in the USA. Pro softball is a good example of the pro league struggles.
Will volleyball be able to draw a crowd? get sponsors? The up and down AVP was able to somewhat have some success, but can indoor volleyball do it?

I actually emailed USAV a proposed league format with minimal costs to operate it--in a way that could get it on TV, even if on ESPN-5 that wouldn't cost a ton *or* really interfere with players' schedules internationally.

I didn't hear back though.

[Wolfgang]

There's too much competition for my time. I love basketball and football, but I can barely keep up with the scores, much less watch them on TV. I guess I don't love them anymore. I only superficially follow college volleyball now. Seriously, I can't name a single player on the Stanford team except Jordan Burgess. For that matter, I can't name a single player on the Penn State team. So, you can well imagine that I won't have time to follow pro volleyball.

[stealthspiker]

A parallel system of tournaments for cash is the easiest way to start a pro league. Then, the individual teams can finance themselves and their talent. Looking for a centralized source of funding is not going to work. If you make the entry fee at least $1000 per tournament, then you will have some sort of pot to work with. You could even create a "regional" tier at $1,000 per tournament and a national tier of $5,000-10,000 per tournament. Keep the tournaments smaller (no more than 16 teams) until the talent of those teams increase.

[Not Me]

The WNVL still pretends to be around.

They post stuff on holidays on their Facebook page.

Their last real post with any volleyball information was 2 years ago.
i wonder if you buy stuff from their on-line store if they really have it.

[aranhahunter]

Jan 5, 2014 10:40:45 GMT -5 Wolfgang said:

There's too much competition for my time. I love basketball and football, but I can barely keep up with the scores, much less watch them on TV. I guess I don't love them anymore. I only superficially follow college volleyball now. Seriously, I can't name a single player on the Stanford team except Jordan Burgess. For that matter, I can't name a single player on the Penn State team. So, you can well imagine that I won't have time to follow pro volleyball.

Well you shouldn't be expecting a professional volleyball league to get close to challenging the big 4. That is not feasible, at least not for the next couple of decades. I do think a professional volleyball (both men and women's) is doable in the US (as is rugby, but that's not the point of this thread). If people want a pro league though, expectations should be in check. Do not expect something like the NBA or NHL. Something like the AFL, MISL, WNBA, NWSL, or NLL should be the goal of the league, together with reasonable salaries.


It would definitely be a niche league, with a niche following. However, a niche league can be sustainable and eventually grow. Also, most people don't know, but attendance in minor pro leagues in the US (all of the above, plus minor league hockey, baseball, NBDL, etc) are better than most major non soccer leagues in other countries.

It should also be easier in this day and age to get a TV deal, 10 years ago we didn't have all the sports channels we have now (FS1, FS2, NBCSN, BeinTV, ESPN3, CBSSN, etc) as well as netflix and youtube wanting to get in on sports as well. NFL, NHL, MLB, WNBA all signed record deals recently. NBA and MLS are expected to sign record deals as well next year with MLS expected to at least double what they get now. NWSL signed a deal with FOX for its first year and streams live matches on youtube, as does MLL. It's also much easier to market a new league today than before with social media. Smart companies use twitter, facebook, youtube, and whatever else they can to keep fans engaged. This was not possible just 10 years ago.

Whether or not they can make it happen or if they can wait until the league is finally profitable is a different story. MLS and WNBA are just now being profitable on their own and it remains to be seen whether or not this even comes to fruition.

[elevationvb]

The WNBA may not be around much longer.

[aranhahunter]

They just signed a $12 million/year contract with ESPN until 2022....

Regardless I just wanted to post this here, I, for one, am hoping this will happen.

[dorothymantooth]

Sadly a pro league in the US will never fly.

[redbeard2008]

How many cities could support a professional volleyball team? Only Honolulu and Omaha, it seems to me, which is not enough to form a league. Minneapolis, Milwaukee, Seattle, or Philadelphia, for instance, at best might support a semi-pro team.

What about sponsored touring teams - Nike Slammers, Mizuno Spikers, Molten Crushers, Tachikara Pounders, Mikasa Smashers, Under Armour Blasters?

What about playing with five (no subs in sets except for injury) on a smaller court - three in the front row, two in the back row (with only the setter and one hitter rotating)? Might be able to get away with an eight player roster. Play to win two out of three (30 point) sets.

[gtvb1]

Leagues tend to pop up, fail, and then wonder why they failed. The economics just don't make sense. Colleges have football and basketball footing the bill. That's the only reason ESPN is half interested in televising the non revenue championships. The other reason is to be first, in case interest takes off. It likely won't.

[vballgrl]

I wish it would work but it seems doubtful. The best players in this country can make over 100k playing oversees. Why would they give that up to make 10-15k here at best. And if the league can't pull the BEST players (recognizable names with national team level talent) then it doesn't earn the respect of 'professional' I don't see anything wrong with a semi pro league and I think the PVL is a good tester