VERSANT Inks Deal for League One Volleyball as Women's Sports Rights Slate Grows

VERSANT Inks Deal for League One Volleyball as Women's Sports Rights Slate GrowsLOVB joins NBCUniversal spinoffs LPGA and WNBA media rightsBy Jason Dachman, Editorial Director, U.S.

Tuesday, September 16, 2025 - 10:27 am

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VERSANT, the soon-to-be NBCUniversal spinoff, continues to build out its roster of women's sports media rights with the a new multi-year deal for League One Volleyball (LOVB). The premier women's professional volleyball league in the U.S. will be carried in primetime on USA Network starting January 2026.

USA Network will exclusively air the league's Match of the Week in primetime on Wednesday nights at 8 p.m. ET. The agreement also provides for live primetime coverage of the league's playoffs, including the 2026 LOVB Championship Match where the champions will be crowned live on USA Network.

LOVB joins VERSANT's existing women's professional sports portfolio, which include Golf Channel's LPGA Tour coverage (roughly 500 hours of coverage of more than 30 events annually) and the USA Network's new deal with the WNBA, which begins in 2026 and will feature live coverage of regular season and postseason games beginning in May.

We're thrilled to showcase the stars of LOVB and bring women's pro volleyball to a national primetime audience on USA Network beginning this January, says Celia Kohl, SVP, Strategy & Business Development for VERSANT. These women are Olympic medalists and collegiate champions, representing some of the best volleyball players in the world. Our partnership with LOVB is the latest example of VERSANT's commitment to highlighting premier women's sports leagues on our networks and further establishes USA Network as a destination for top-tier sports programming.

As professional women's volleyball captures the hearts of fans around the world, we couldn't imagine a better partner than VERSANT to help take the sport to the next level. With its deep Olympic heritage and proven track record in women's sports, VERSANT is uniquely positioned to amplify the reach of our league and showcase the incredible talent of our athletes, says Peter Hirschmann, LOVB Executive Chairman and Co-Founder. This agreement is more than airtime-it's about creating a stage worthy of the athletes and communities who are driving volleyball to become America's next major league.

LOVB is unique to American sport as the first youth-to-pro league in the U.S. and features teams in Atlanta, Austin, Houston, Madison (Wis.), Nebraska, and Salt Lake. Season 2 will include some of the most renowned and star-studded talent around the globe, including a total 23 Olympic medals and 20% of athletes having Olympic experience. LOVB features many former collegiate superstars with multiple national champions and 101 All-American honors on its roster.

VERSANT's commitment ensures that women's volleyball has the platform it deserves -consistent, national primetime coverage that reflects the caliber of our athletes and the passion of our fans, says Raquel Braun, Chief Media Officer for LOVB. By bringing LOVB into millions of homes each week, we're not only expanding the reach of the sport but also inspiring the next generation and strengthening the communities that have fueled volleyball's rise across the country.

The full 2026 LOVB Match of the Week schedule on USA Network will be announced later this year.

LINK:	https://www.sportsvideo.org/2025/09/16/versant-inks-deal-for-league-on...
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