Major League Volleyball awarded its eighth franchise to Los Angeles on Sunday, with a 2027 season launch led by Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong and former USC volleyball administrator Ben Priest. The team becomes the league's second California entry after San Diego, which began play in 2024.
The ownership group paid an undisclosed expansion fee, though league sources place the figure between $8 million and $12 million, roughly double what earlier franchises paid in 2022 and 2023. Soon-Shiong, who owns the *Los Angeles Times* and holds a minority stake in the Lakers, brings media and arena-access leverage. Priest, who spent nine years at USC and previously worked at the Big Ten Network, brings the operator credibility the league needs as it courts venue deals in a city already serving six major professional teams. The franchise has not yet named a venue, though Galen Center, Pechanga Arena San Diego's Los Angeles equivalent, and a new downtown site are all under discussion.
The move matters because Major League Volleyball is testing whether indoor volleyball can convert NCAA popularity—women's college volleyball averaged 4,100 fans per match last season, better than WNBA regular-season averages—into a sustainable pro product. The league launched in 2022 with six teams and plays a condensed 14-match regular season between January and March, designed to avoid conflicts with beach volleyball and international Federation schedules. Television remains a constraint: matches air on ESPN+ and regional networks, not linear cable. Sponsorship is the real business. Volleyball skews younger and more female than traditional pro leagues, a demographic athletic brands and wellness sponsors chase. Los Angeles adds a $1 trillion media market and access to the Asian-American communities that have driven youth volleyball enrollment. The league's San Diego franchise signed 11 local sponsors in its first season, more than any other MLV team.
Soon-Shiong's involvement is the tell. He does not chase vanity projects. His ownership of the *Times* positions him to drive local coverage in a way most expansion owners cannot. Priest's hire signals the league is serious about operations, not celebrity theater. USC volleyball drew 2,900 fans per match last season, a regional baseline. The challenge is building beyond that without the NCAA's built-in rivalries and March television windows. The league's current teams play in mid-sized venues—2,500 to 5,000 capacity—and rely on ticket revenue more than media rights. Los Angeles will need to average 3,500 fans at a ticket price near $35 to break even in year one, according to league economics disclosed to prospective owners last year.
Watch for venue announcements by September, when the league finalizes its 2027 schedule. Coaching hires typically come in October, after the NCAA season ends. The team will need to sign at least eight founding sponsors by January 2027 to meet the league's minimum revenue threshold. Soon-Shiong's *Times* deal with the Lakers expires in 2028, and a volleyball media component could be part of any renewal negotiation.
MLV now has franchises in Atlanta, Austin, Columbus, Omaha, Grand Rapids, San Diego, and Salt Lake City. Los Angeles is the first true marquee market. If it works, Chicago and the Bay Area are next.
The takeaway
Soon-Shiong's capital and Priest's operational credibility give MLV its first marquee-market franchise and a test of whether indoor volleyball can scale beyond college venues.
major league volleyballlos angelesexpansionpatrick soon-shiongben priestvolleyball
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