Pro Volleyball Federation, the preeminent professional league for women’s volleyball in North America, announced today that Kansas City will be home to an expansion team in 2025. The team is owned by Missy and Kent McCarthy.
New Era
The announcement is the latest signal of Kansas City’s prominence as a sports destination, driven largely by its passionate fans and the collaboration across professional teams, nonprofit organizations, and civic leaders. In addition to hosting the 2023 NFL Draft and preparing for FIFA World Cup 26™, the biggest sporting event in the history of the world, the region has established itself as a leader in women’s sports. Kansas City holds attendance records for the third and fourth highest-attended women’s collegiate volleyball games. It is also home to the CPKC Stadium, the first-of-its-kind stadium for a women’s professional sports team where the Kansas City Current will play next year.
“When I look at the trajectory of women’s sports and how they’ve grown in participation, investment and viewership, I’m proud to say Kansas City is leading the way, and I can’t wait to see the region embrace professional women’s volleyball,” says Kathy Nelson, President and CEO of the Kansas City Sports Commission and Visit KC. “This is a perfect addition to our portfolio of professional teams and will complement the thriving youth and collegiate volleyball programs in our region.”
Heart of America Volleyball, a regional organization based in Kansas City, Kansas, has approximately 17,000 club volleyball players and 3,000 coaches. Additionally, there are 15 college volleyball programs in the Kansas City Area, which include teams from all college athletic governing bodies (NCAA, NAIA, NJCAA and NCCAA).
Redefining Excellence
Pro Volleyball Federation is setting an unprecedented standard for women’s professional volleyball in North America by utilizing major arenas, paying players a living wage and providing critical opportunities for elite athletes to pursue professional careers in the United States.
“Kansas City is famous for its passionate, welcoming sports fans and we are thrilled for its franchise to join us in 2025,” says Dave Whinham, the League’s co-founder. “Pro Volleyball Federation is committed to driving equity, awareness and engagement to women’s sports, something I know resonates with the Kansas City community. We look forward to bringing a world-class experience in just over a year.”
The inaugural season for the league is scheduled to begin in January of 2024 and features seven teams based in the following cities: Grand Rapids, MI; Atlanta, GA; Columbus, OH; Orlando, FL; San Diego, CA; Omaha, NE and Las Vegas, NV.
Each team will play 24 matches with the season ending in mid-May. The league announced earlier this year that Dallas, Texas will also have an expansion team expected to play in 2025.
Heartland Connections
The McCarthy’s have a longstanding history with sports and the Kansas City area. More than twenty members of their extended family attended The University of Kansas (KU). Currently, their son and daughter play for KU in the basketball and volleyball programs, respectively.
“It’s no coincidence we wanted Kansas City to be the home of our women’s professional volleyball team,” says Missy, co-owner of the yet-to-be-named franchise. “Yes, it holds a special place in our hearts, but Kansas City is also on the rise. The energy and momentum are electric; you can feel it.”
She continues, “Kansas City is leading the way in the monumental shift in women’s sports, and we want to help shape that change. Volleyball is an incredible sport to play and watch, but there are no real opportunities to play it at its highest level in the United States. Until now.”
The team plans to hire key leadership positions in the coming months. A name and brand will be unveiled in 2024.
For more information, please visit www.provolleyball.com and follow @kcprovolleyball on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
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