New year, new vibes—at least in the volleyball universe, where things are heating up big time! While LOVB made its grand debut, the Pro Volleyball Federation (PVF) kicked off its second season with all the flair of a major league. Having begun on January 9, PVF is raising the bar in volleyball and introducing the traditional league format in big cities of the United States. What’s cooler? They’re the first league ever to share revenue with players right from day one. Yep, they’re rewriting the playbook in more ways than one.

With teams like Atlanta’s Vibe, Columbus Fury, Grand Rapids Rise, Indy Ignite, Omaha Supernovas, Orlando Valkyries, San Diego Mojo, and Vegas Thrill, PVF isn’t just making waves—it’s making history. So far, Orlando, Omaha, and Vegas have served up victories in their opening matches, keeping fans on the edge of their seats. The league sticks mostly to FIVB rules but with a little twist: think eight substitutions, two liberos in a set, and a 15-second serve clock. But wait, there’s a new rule that has fans fuming and throwing their hands up in frustration.

Pro Volleyball Federations’ new rule!

Lincoln Arneal of Huskers Illustrated hopped on X on January 10 to drop some spicy volleyball tea about a new PVF rule, and let’s just say, it’s got fans talking. He shared, “A change for PVF this year: no down official. The only one is the up official on the bench sideline. The second official is at the scorers table. It has been noticed much, but on plays like the last one when the ball hit the antenna, but there was no official there to help.” Translation? The league’s switch-up means no down official by the net, leaving all the action-spotting to the up official and the scorer’s table ref.

And the fans? Oh, they were definitely not holding back! One user chimed in with some serious feelings, saying, “This doesn’t seem right! Down official is a must in crucial and close games like this.” And honestly, can we blame them? Close calls deserve an extra set of eyes, especially when the stakes are high. Now, according to the Pro Volleyball Federation’s official site, they’ve gone all-in on high-tech upgrades.

The first referee (the one perched on the stand) is stationed on the same side as the team benches, and—get this—there are no line judges anymore. The replacement? Technology. Moreover, scorers and their assistants will handle scores electronically. But let’s be real—this explanation isn’t exactly going to calm the storm. Fans flooded the comments section, venting their frustrations and asking all the big questions to Pro Volleyball Federation.

Volleyheads lose their calm over the new rule!

Another fan jumped into the mix, saying, “The match needs a down ref on the court for myriad reasons.” And honestly? They’ve got a point. But this isn’t volleyball’s first rodeo with fans flipping out over a controversial rule. Remember when the NCAA decided to shake things up with some new regulations? Among them was a rule allowing players to touch the ball more than once during a team’s second contact—as long as it’s sent to a teammate. Sounds harmless, right? Well, not to everyone.

This change left some players and fans downright fuming. Why? Because it basically made redundant one of the setter position’s most refined skills—the art of avoiding double contact. For players who’d poured years into perfecting that craft, the rule felt like a slap in the face. Cue the outrage, with one fan passionately declaring, “I see that as a really poor decision – hoping they will find the error of their ways and change back.”