League One Volleyball Lands $100M for Youth-to-Pro Ecosystem
League One Volleyball (LOVB) is set to launch its pro season in January 2025 as youth sports has become a lucrative space
League One Volleyball (LOVB) has secured $100 million in new funding led by women-founded private equity firm Atwater Capital ahead of LOVB’s Pro season set to begin in January 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia.
Existing investors Ares Management funds and Left Lane Capital also participated in the fresh funding.
The volleyball league has raised $160 million to date, with backers such as pro athletes Lindsey Vonn and Candace Parker as well as comedians Amy Schumer and Chelsea Handler and Kevin Durant and Rich Kleiman’s Boardroom Sports Holdings.
In 2024 alone, LOVB doubled the size of its youth programs and expanded to 58 clubs across 26 states and provided aspiring athletes with nearly $750,000 in financial aid through the LOVB Foundation.
“We believe LOVB has the potential to lead the next era of both youth and professional sports,” Atwater Capital CEO and founder Vania Schlogel said. “This investment isn’t just about fueling growth or generating financial returns—it’s about creating a platform where women and youth athletes can truly thrive. By leveraging our expertise in media and entertainment, we’re excited to amplify LOVB’s impact, delivering compelling stories and experiences that engage volleyball fans in new, exciting ways and inspire the next generation of exceptional athletes.”
Earlier this year, Tonal partnered with LOVB to provide volleyball-specific training programs and outfit clubs with its smart home gym equipment. In October, LOVB announced a new state-of-the-art training facility in Omaha, Nebraska, to support volleyball players of all ages with ten premium courts and a training room with two cold tubs and ice and stem machines.
The volleyball ecosystem has attracted partners such as Adidas, which will outfit LOVB’s pro athletes for the upcoming season, and ESPN, which struck an exclusive media rights deal with the league to air its matches on linear networks and digital platforms.
“The initial idea behind LOVB was to introduce a youth-to-pro ecosystem approach from the onset, but what we’ve been able to achieve with LOVB is the opportunity to champion athletes throughout their entire volleyball journey,” LOVB co-founder and CEO Katlyn Gao said. “We believe this is the next wave of sport, starting from the grassroots up to build professional pathways. By connecting our club athletes to our pros, we are supporting the next generation of players and creating a bond unrivaled by other leagues. As the sport of volleyball continues to grow not just in size but in popularity, we are humbled to be rolling up our sleeves alongside leading investors like Atwater, Ares and Left Lane Capital to enable volleyball to become the next major league.”
Youth sports has become a burgeoning sectr in 2024. In addition to LOVB’s youth-to-pro focus, NFL player Kirk Cousins partnered with ETS Performance, a youth sports performance training center, to launch two new facilities in Michigan as a hub for athletes aged 8 to 18. Meanwhile, athletic training franchise D1 Training has laid the groundwork to rapidly expand its brand across the U.S., serving both children and adults. The franchise has attracted partners such as NFL players/brothers Sammy and Jaylen Watkins and former New Orleans Saints tight end Josh Hill.
