GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — A new professional sports team is coming to Grand Rapids.
DP Fox Sports & Entertainment announced Monday that West Michigan will be home to a women's professional volleyball team that will play at Van Andel Arena in 2024.
The team will play in the newly formed Pro Volleyball Federation beginning in February 2024.
Pro Volleyball Federation calls itself the premier women’s professional volleyball league in North America. Pro Volleyball Federation will be played at a major-league level in pro arenas with elite athletes.
Eight to 10 initial teams will debut in volleyball hotbeds throughout the nation in 2024. The regular season will consist of 16 matches during the inaugural campaign. Rosters will include 14 players and the league expects to have a minimum of three National Game of the Week windows on major broadcast networks and a worldwide streaming partner.
Organizers of the league are touting the opportunity for athletes to make a real living wage and play at the highest level without leaving the country.
Players' first-year base salaries will be similar to first-year WNBA players, which is around $60,000 a year. Additional compensation could come their way based on achievement and postseason advancement.
There's no name for the team just yet, and West Michigan Pro Volleyball says they'll host a “Name the Team” contest, with details to be announced in the coming months.
Fans are encouraged to visit wmprovolleyball.com to sign up for the team’s email list and to receive information about tickets and sponsorships, and to visit provolleyballfederation.com to learn more about the league.
“Volleyball’s popularity is exploding. The Midwest is a hotbed for the sport, the Big Ten is the most dominant conference in the NCAA, and there are a number of strong club, high school and college programs across our region," Chairman and CEO of DP Fox Dan DeVos said.
“We have a history with and great respect for the people behind the Pro Volleyball Federation, some of whom we’ve known for more than two decades dating back to the Arena Football League,” added DeVos, who is also co-owner and CEO of the American Hockey League’s Grand Rapids Griffins. “This is a true women’s major-league sport and team coming to Grand Rapids. We strongly believe in the league’s vision to provide the highest level of women’s professional sports in our country, and we are excited to be in on the ground floor.”
►Make it easy to keep up to date with more stories like this. Download the 13 ON YOUR SIDE app now.
Have a news tip? Email news@13onyourside.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter. Subscribe to our YouTube channel.
►Make it easy to keep up to date with more stories like this. Download the 13 ON YOUR SIDE app now.
Have a news tip? Email news@13onyourside.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter. Subscribe to our YouTube channel.