Versant is betting big on women’s sports, with the company inking its first exclusive media rights deal with League One Volleyball (LOVB, pronounced “love”), part of a larger strategy to invest in the space.
The company, which is set to be spun out from NBCUniversal early next year, will inherit some legacy rights from NBCU and it recently cut a deal with the USGA (alongside a renewal from NBCU), but the League One deal marks an expansion of the company’s nascent sports strategy, with women’s sports set to be at the heart of it.
“Among other things, we’ve got a women’s sports strategy that we’re excited about and bullish about. LOVB will be a cornerstone of that strategy,” says Matt Hong, president of sports for Versant. “We have a partnership with the WNBA that’s been signed and previously announced that will launch in the 2026 season. … And then Golf Channel is the home of the LPGA Tour, so there’s roughly 500 hours of live coverage of the LPGA Tour currently on Golf Channel. Not all women’s sports are the same, but where there is some pattern recognition is that when our team looks at sports or leagues with high growth trajectories, like we spoke about with LOVB, quite a few of the sports in the leagues that we identify with high growth potential happen to be women’s sports, and so that really drives our interest in this women’s sports strategy, and properties such as LOVB, the WNBA and the LPGA.”
Terms of the LOVB deal were not disclosed, though it is a multiyear deal that will see LOVB games get a plum primetime spot on Wednesday nights on USA Network, beginning in Jan. 2026. Hong says that the company hopes to “create a franchise” around the league on Wednesday nights, bolstered by social content.
“We were attracted to LOVB because of the growth trajectory we feel exists for viewership of volleyball in the U.S. and LOVB’s position as the premier professional volleyball league in the U.S.,” Hong says. “So really, from a growth perspective, we thought it would be a good match for for us, hopefully we can help the property grow, and then it can help us grow.”
Women’s sports has been on an explosive growth trajectory in recent years, driven by the WNBA, NWSL and other sports.
Women’s college basketball in particular has seen massive growth, with the WNBA seemingly poised to benefit as well. As these leagues continue their emergent growth, Versant thinks that it can secure deals that helps it build out its sports brand alongside them.
Media buyers and marketers are also eager to invest in the space, with GroupM securing commitments specifically for women’s sports.
“Not only is there a high growth trajectory for viewership and an audience, but for brands to activate amongst women’s sports as well,” Hong says.
“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,” said 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.”