When the Longhorns suffered a major loss back in 2011, HC Jerritt Elliott had to take a step back and think everything through. During this time, he did the much-needed retrospection and slowly began to turn his coaching style around. The communication in the team started improving, and Elliott began to manage the stressors more effectively. He became the leader the team needed, and we saw the massive improvement when the team snatched the 2012 win with a solid 8-5 record.

A conversation that leads to the understanding of the future of women’s sports and the big leaps that are going to come is what the latest interview from EssentiallySports Think Tank, Texas Volleyball’s Dynasty and Three-Peat Quest ft. Jerritt Elliott, brings you as our host Trey Holder sits with none other than Texas Longhorns HC Jerritt Elliott.

Trey Holder had the perfect question for Elliott as the conversation was nearing its end. “What would be your big bold prediction out there in sports? Any, anything, anything you have?” Holder asks. Someone who has been associated with the Longhorns and Women’s Volleyball for 23 seasons, Elliott knows the ins and outs of the sport and the community that has been raised around it. “It’s going to be the biggest year ever in women’s volleyball. I think that’s where we’re seeing,” Elliott replies. Someone who took the Longhorns to 2 back-to-back National Championship wins and is going for a 3rd win this year, Elliott has indeed seen the sudden change in the scene.

Deloitte has already projected that in 2024 we will be seeing the sport generate around $1.2 billion in revenue. “People that come to these games and see these games and see how, what kind of tremendous athletes these women are, are blown away,” Elliott mentions. We all saw the hype Madisen Skinner created when she recorded 16 kills during the final match against Nebraska. A 115% increase in viewership (compared to 2022) was recorded during the match between Texas and Nebraska back in 2023. However, the sudden rise in WNBA’s growth is also a key factor that has pulled more people towards women’s sports and volleyball. If we look at the stats, the impact WNBA has had is very evident.

WNBA’s Meteoric Rise: Powering the Future of Women’s Sports

If we look between 2020 and 2024, the WNBA has seen some amazing growth at the grassroots level. In 2023 alone, the sport has recorded the highest season viewership ever in the last 21 years. A little over 36 million people flocked in to watch the matches on several national networks. When compared to 2022, the 2023 season saw a growth of 21% in total viewership. This also fueled a rise in revenue as well. The league saw a rise in financial gains by 30% in 2024. The presence that the WNBA captured later rippled down to other women-led sports in the US.

The NCAA Women’s Volleyball Championship set new records back in 2023 when they managed to capture a total of 1.8 million views on average. The number went on to peak at 2.1 million views, even though it had to compete against a giant like the NFL. Over the last 3 years, women’s volleyball has seen a rise of 32% in viewership. This is the exact leap that Elliott mentioned during the interview. This growth gives the sport much-needed audience attention and will continue to propel it to become an international attraction as well.

The interview with Jerritt Elliott gave us insights into so many aspects of women’s sports and also volleyball itself. EssentiallySports Think Tank initiative made all of this possible. The Think Tank aims to accumulate the greatest minds in sports and bring them directly to you. Taking hold of the reins, host and innovator Trey Holder engages in candid conversations with the guests to reveal every detail you would need to grow and learn about leadership and performance. This Is EssentiallySports Think Tank—Where Sports Meets Smart Content.