The cameras these days are unforgiving; they latch onto even the smallest details. And when this happened in a Pro Volleyball Federation League match, fans chimed in to compare the sport with a different game played on that very court— NBA. Yes! And once again the muse for yet another ‘weird’ spotting was the Omaha Supernovas. Well, if only a bat hovering in the arena during their season opener game wasn’t bizarre enough, another rarity has been spotted in their second game against the Grands Rapid Rise. Keen to know what that is?

On January 12, 2025, the Supernovas swept the Rise 3-0 in a home opener. With a little over 8000 in the Van Andel Arena, the match did not feature as packed a crowd as the Supernovas’ first game with 13,000+ strong. Yet, something about the seating sparked discussions and unusual comparisons among the fans this time. Well, as an image from the game has been taking the Pro Volleyball Federation followers by storm who feel the game is truly borrowing a trait or two from the NBA.

On January 13, 2025, Avid Volleyball took to X and uploaded a capture from the Supernovas vs Rise game. Clicked from an angle that featured the net in the center, it provided an equal view of the courts on the left and right. The judges’ panel also was entirely visible. That’s when the handle raised a question, “Are those…. fans?? between the scorers table and the players bench… thats so bizarre??” Well, yes they were. The game featured 8 seats for fans placed right on the floor, on either side of the judges’ panel, right next to the players’ benches on each side.

Well, while this is a common sight in NBA matches, it’s highly unusual for volleyball. Thus, one of the fans commented, “They did it at the Vegas game too. Like right next to the coaches? So weird” Being placed so close to the decision-makers may seem unusual to volleyball fans but for the NBA, courtside seats are a luxury. They often come at lofty prices and give the best view of the action. Thus, in key NBA games, these seats on the floor make a star-studded row full of VIPs and renowned personalities who have come down to watch the game. But volleyball enthusiasts, guess some of them aren’t fans of this concept.

Clearly, Pro Volleyball League fans weren’t aware of this seating arrangement and appeared to be rather shocked when they saw it. And the reactions? Some of them called it a plain imitation of the NBA, while others labeled it as a money-making technique.

Pro Volleyball Federation fans make witty NBA comparisons

One of the volleyball fans commented, “It’s actually really common these days in a lot of leagues. Men’s and women’s.” Indeed, from the NBA, WNBA, and Tennis league like the US Open, multiple sports feature this option for fans to avail courtside seats. In fact, for those volleyball fans who did not know, we’ll tell you how it works. The Pro Volleyball Federation too offers premium seats for fans to experience each game to the fullest.

Yes, you heard that! In fact, there are two variants in the PVF if you wish to opt for the courtside view. One is your regular Courtside Seat that positions you inches away from all your favorite players and come with exclusive food and beverage options available. Plus, there are also restrooms and a team merchandise stand that they can have access to. Whereas, the other one is a Courtside Suite, which are open-air suites perfect for six VIP fans, situated directly on the floor.

And for those who occupied these courtside seats, one of the fans had a very special nickname for them, “The Jack Nicholsons of Grand Rapids.” Well, NBA fans can relate, right? If you aren’t already aware, this was a direct comparison to one of the most die-hard Lakers fans to have ever existed. Nicholson is a Hollywood actor who is a constant courtside fixture for over four decades. He has been such a huge Lakers follower that he would adjust his shooting and schedule to attend the NBA games. So the volleyball fans earning that comparison is a huge thing!

But a few fans are still attempting to decipher the reason behind why the Pro Volleyball Federation has opted for this premium seat structure. “Courtside seats = $$$. College basketball is starting to take cues from the NBA too” they say. And that is true in every sense. Courtside seats cost a bomb, irrespective of the sport, however, the price varies depending on popularity and a whole other factors.

If we speak of college basketball for the 2024-25 season courtside seats at the University of Iowa cost approximately $8235 for the last season, Whereas, the same for Purdue exceeded $12000. Thus, the fan intends to say that college basketball picked up this structure from the NBA, and now, volleyball follows, with each of these sports being motivated by the money that comes in with these seats.

Thus, chiming in around the same narrative, another fan called the Pro Volleyball Federation’s courtside seats an “Innovating the way to sell chairs on the court.” But, wait. Does the PVF really need to go above and beyond to do that? Well, doesn’t seem like it. The fan turn-out naturally has been quite good this season, with the first match between the Supernovas and the Atlanta Vibe recording a crowd of 13,486.

Last season, the Supernovas’ highest had touched 12,090, packed in the CHI Health Center, which was still quite commendable. In fact, in just two seasons, the Supernovas alone have hosted six crowds of more than 11,000 and eight of more than 10,000. This truly implies the popularity of the Pro Volleyball Federation. And thus, people would be willing to occupy and pay a high sum for the courtside tickets.

But in doing so, is the PVF imitating the NBA? A fan believes so. They wrote, “Just like the nba but i wouldn’t wanna copy that league in any way possible 🙈” Well, a lot of similarities already exist between the two games. Both are played on the same courts in their indoor versions. They are team sports and require quite similar skills like ball-handling, reflexes, etc. And now, the fan believes with the courtside addition, another similarity is added which makes the NBA quite identical to the Pro Volleyball Federation League. Do you think so too? Let us know below!