Volleyball is having its moment, winning over hearts from conference tournaments like Big Ten and NCAA games to professional leagues like LOVB and PVF. This sudden surge in volleyball fandom isn’t just a fluke; it’s the result of the extraordinary performances on the court and the volleyball players themselves. But let’s be real—one team stands out as the MVP in this volleyball revolution: the Nebraska Huskers. And nope, this isn’t just some random hype. Remember Volleyball Day in Nebraska? Back in 2023, the Huskers joined forces with the University of Nebraska-Omaha, the University of Nebraska-Kearney, and Wayne State College to make history.

More than 92,003 fans had packed the Memorial Stadium to watch the Huskers defeat Omaha in straight sets and set a world record for the largest attendance of a women’s sporting event. Talk about iconic! To give that some context, the previous record was set by a Champions League soccer match between Barcelona and Wolfsburg, which attracted 91,648 fans. However, Nebraska was not only about breaking records—they left a lasting mark on volleyball’s growth, showing the world just how electric the game can be. Oh, and did we mention the Huskers also brought in a $7 million profit from that event? Talk about a win-win!

Nebraska Huskers makes an impact!

As per the Omaha.com report dated January 21, the Nebraska Huskers went beyond the court to earn an incredible $7,253,488 revenue, all because of the Volleyball Day in Nebraska. The iconic match, where the Huskers swept Omaha, didn’t just break records—it shattered them, with 92,003 fans packing Memorial Stadium and setting a world attendance record for a women’s sporting event. But wait: there’s more. The game did not stop there; the concessions made were worth $1,789,064, which was more than twice the amount that the Nebraska Husker earned in the fiscal year 2022-2023.

And here’s the twist: As spectators could consume alcoholic beverages like beer and wine at this volleyball match, this just made the game even more exciting than Husker football games. This historic event didn’t just deliver an unforgettable experience; it also left Nebraska volleyball with a $1,342,221 surplus. Talk about turning passion into profit!

But there’s still more. The fiscal year 2023-2024 was a financial slam dunk (or should we say spike?), earning over a million dollars in profit. Lincoln Arneal boasted on X, “Nebraska volleyball continues to set the standard in women’s athletics as it turned a profit of $1.3 million for the 2023-24 fiscal year.” To be precise, the magic number was $1.342 million, with Volleyball Day in Nebraska taking center stage in this financial triumph. Just think about it: Volleyball Day alone brought in an estimated $850,000 in profit, an extraordinary feat revealed by the Journal Star.

However, let’s go back to 2022, where the program made only $6,572 of profit. Jumping to the year 2023, the Huskers took the record by over $100,000 farther from any kind of achievement. Beyond Volleyball Day, ticket sales turned out to be another cash cow, bringing in a jaw-dropping $2.57 million. That is a massive increase from $300,000 recorded the previous year, isn’t it? It did not end there; sources of income such as parking, concession and merchandise sales increased from $805,104 to $1.789 million. Add in $1.8 million from the “other revenue” category, and you’ve got yourself a recipe for financial domination. But Nebraska Huskers made sure to make their impact felt in other arenas too.

Huskers fever sparks excitement across games

When the NCAA announced that the Nebraska Huskers vs Penn State Nittany Lions match had broken a record for the “National Semifinals attendance record!” in December 2024, the volleyball world erupted in celebration. Emily Ehman couldn’t contain her excitement, writing, “Another attendance record SHATTERED!!!!” She continued, “There are 21,726 fans in attendance tonight. Beats the previous record, set last season in Tampa, by nearly 2,000.” And, of course, who can forget Volleyball Day and 1.7 million fans watching the game of the Huskers against the Texas Longhorns in the finals of the NCAA Championships?

In October, Nebraska again lived up to their tradition of packing venues to the brim when they assisted Ohio State to break a home venue attendance record. A total of 4,156 fans were able to watch the much-awaited confrontation of the two teams at Covelli Center. Both fans and analysts think that Nebraska’s ability to attract attention is taking women’s volleyball to new heights. Their magic isn’t limited to the stands, though—it’s breaking records on screens too. In the regular season, a Nebraska-Wisconsin game drew an average of 612,000 viewers, which set a record for the most-watched game on the Big Ten Network in 2023 after their August game at Memorial Stadium.

It even outshined a Nebraska football game that pulled 560,000 viewers in the same period. This continued in the year 2024, where a regular season match up with Stanford received 325,000 viewers on BTN more than the 248,000 that tuned in to watch a men’s basketball game. It doesn’t matter if they are on the volleyball court or on television screens; the Huskers are changing the face of women’s volleyball. Moreover, the Nebraska Huskers have elevated volleyball’s popularity to such heights that even in their absence, other teams are reaping the rewards.

With or without Huskers!

Back in December, Louisville Volleyball fans really proved to the world how to bring the heat! Even a bitter 3-1 home loss that saw Louisville relinquish the NCAA crown was a victory in so many ways for the Cardinals in 2024. But the loudest roar came in the NCAA Championships when their fans filled the arena, and painted the city red, louder than before. On the final day, as Louisville faced off against Penn State, the Cardinals’ supporters delivered a moment for the history books. The championship match shattered attendance records, with 21,860 fans packing the arena (134 more than the semifinal record of 21,726 earlier that week).

And the impact didn’t stop at the arena’s doors. Hosting the Final Four brought a massive win for the local economy, too. WHAS11 reported, “It was a sellout the last game. So make no mistake, for the city here and businesses, this was a win.” Just how big? Well, as the source added, “The Louisville mayor projecting a $10 million economic boost for Louisville for hosting the Final Four.” But let’s not forget, this success didn’t come out of the blue and did not take a few months to create. Louisville Volleyball has been preparing for this moment for years and investing in it. In the year 2017, they spent $1.82 million in women’s volleyball, which placed them 27th among FBS public schools.

Skip to 2022 and they more than came through, increasing their budget to $3.25 million and entering the top 10. That same year was historic—Louisville Volleyball spent more than other powerhouses such as Penn State who had a budget of 3 million. And they weren’t just spending; they were earning! Louisville generated $434,000 in ticket revenue, while Penn State could only manage $169,000. Talk about a full-circle victory! So it is indeed clear how Nebraska Huskers have been impacting the game with or without their presence.