And just like that… women’s pro volleyball hit the national stage like never before! This past weekend was nothing short of legendary, as the Pro Volleyball Federation rolled out its first-ever All-Star Match, giving fans a front-row seat to greatness. On the court were Team Shondell and Team Collier, battling it out in a high-flying, net-smacking showdown that had everyone on the edge of their seats.

And to top it off? NBA legend Jalen Rose and Olympic gold medalist Shawn Johnson East were the hosts of the evening, which only made the event even more glamorous. The venue? At the Fishers Event Center, Indiana, there were 6,943 people eager to watch the event and cheer for the teams. But wait—there’s more! CBS did not merely broadcast the game—they put pro volleyball on the map and did so in a big way with massive numbers of viewers tuning in to watch the sport in cities across the United States.

Emily Ehman—who went from spiking volleyballs to dropping major sports takes on air—hopped on X on March 3 to spill some seriously jaw-dropping stats. And let’s just say… this one’s a game-changer! She did a victory lap for the Pro Volleyball Federation and got all the insane numbers from the All-Star Match on CBS stating that the volleyball world is up.

With pure excitement, she posted, “AMAZING news for volleyball as the @RealProVB All-Star match on @CBS peaked at 445,000 viewers. This is an INCREDIBLE number & shows that when you give this sport the platform it deserves, these fans deliver… Every. Single. Time.” Pro Volleyball fans are here, they’re loud, and they’re proving time and time again that this sport belongs on the biggest stage.

As the showdown hit its dramatic final stretch between 3 p.m. and 3:15 p.m. ET, viewership skyrocketed to a peak of 445,000, with an impressive average of 414,000 hanging on for the ride. Despite the fact that Saturday is full of sports events, this historic confrontation did not lose its position and received an overnight rating of 0.3. And get this, it beat FOX’s featured MLS match and two of the ACC men’s basketball games in the CW.

And ohhh, did this game deliver! Brooke Nuneviller came in ready to dominate—and trust me, she did just that! Wearing her Omaha Supernovas jersey but playing for Team Shondell, she proved why she will be part of the PVF Preseason All-League Team. She scored 13 points, including 11 kills, one block, and one service ace, which made her very active on the field.

But hold up—let’s talk impact. In the first set, when things were looking tight at 2-2, Nuneviller went beast mode, dropping six kills and an ace to flip the script and push her squad to a 13-7 lead. And the best part? No attack errors and 70% positive reception, accuracy, strength, and sheer volleyball prowess. When the dust settled, Team Shondell won the match 58-47, and Nuneviller? Yes, she was in the middle of it. But this is not the first time that pro volleyball and its success are in talks. 

Pro Volleyball’s success decoded

Back in January, the Pro Volleyball Federation had already set the bar high as it drew an average of 12,090 fans in its first season. However, as if things could get any more exciting, on January 10, a record-breaking 13,486 fans came out to watch the Omaha Supernovas play, thus breaking the U.S. Pro Volleyball Attendance Record just as effectively as a well-placed spike. But let’s be real—this isn’t just about volleyball getting more popular. This is a well-planned process and Olympian Sarah Pavan and her husband Adam Schulz have figured it out.

According to them, PVF isn’t just winging it—they’re playing the long game. Although women’s pro volleyball is perhaps relatively new, they have learned from the examples of NFL, NBA, and MLB and bring the big leagues to the court. “PVF has a very individual team design; you get a feeling that the team is created unto itself… It’s (got) a very kind of NFL, NBA, baseball, feel to it,” said Pavan’s co-host. And Adam Schulz further added, “They talk about the general managers, they’re talking about the draft, they’re talking about trading players. It feels very professional.

But here’s the real game-changer—it’s not just about structure; it’s about identity. The PVF has given each team a unique name, logo, and signature style, making them instantly recognizable, just like how saying you’re a Lakers fan needs no explanation. “They all have completely unique uniforms. They have their own unique team name, a really cool logo like everything is very specific,” said Pavan. And it’s working. Fans aren’t just showing up—they’re invested. And with Major League Volleyball now entering the mix alongside PVF and LOVB, one thing’s for sure—pro volleyball is only getting bigger and bigger.