Los Angeles lands expansion Major League Volleyball team amid competitive market

Major League Volleyball will expand to Los Angeles in 2027, adding an 11th franchise to the league. The team will be co-owned by billionaire Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong, who also owns the Los Angeles Times and has a minority stake in the Lakers, and will be operated with Ben Priest, a former investor in MLV’s Omaha Supernovas. The expansion fee is reported to be about $15 million to $20 million. MLV merged with the Pro Volleyball Federation to consolidate competition, while League One Volleyball (LOVB) continues with nine teams and plans to add a team in the Los Angeles market in 2027. MLV will also expand to Northern California, Minnesota, and Washington D.C. in 2027.

"Major League Volleyball announced it will expand to L.A. in 2027, adding another team to the growing professional volleyball market. The team will be co-owned by billionaire Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong, who also owns the Los Angeles Times and is a minority owner of the Lakers. He will operate the team alongside Ben Priest, a former investor of MLV's Omaha Supernovas, one of the league's first teams. Sportico reported the duo are paying an expansion fee around $15 million-$20 million to join the five-year-old operation."

"The L.A. team will be the 11th franchise in MLV, which merged with the Pro Volleyball Federation before last season to consolidate the competition. However, League One Volleyball, known as LOVB, is still operating and has nine teams, including one joining the L.A. market in 2027. MLV will also expand to Northern California, Minnesota and Washington D.C. in 2027."

"The two volleyball leagues have vastly different models. MLV is looking to establish itself in the fabric of the pro sports markets like other leagues, while LOVB has ties to youth volleyball clubs and feeder teams. MLV and PVF merged after sharing a similar vision and joining forces to avoid cannibalizing the market. LOVB has teams in or projected to be in six markets. MLV lost its San Diego franchise, which ceased operations after the 2026 season."

""From my perspective, this is really a feeling like when the Lakers started many, many decades ago," Soon-Shiong told Sportico. "The opportunity in women's sports is growing, and Los Angeles is obviously a very important market." Soon-Shiong joins a contingent of billionaire investors in MLV. Several NBA, NHL and MLS owners have ownership stakes in teams across the startup."

Read at Los Angeles Times