Major League Volleyball has named Jamie Weston, former NFL and USA Volleyball executive as the league’s first commissioner. The news comes alongside significant growth for the league as it plans to add teams in Northern California, Washington DC, and Minneapolis St. Paul for the 2027 season.
MLV has secured investment from prominent figures across sports and entertainment, including Sacramento Kings owner Vivek Ranadivé, Omaha Supernovas founder Danny White, artist Jason Derulo, Olympic legend and MLV Northern California owner Kerri Walsh Jennings, and venture capitalist Theresia Gouw, whose portfolio includes stakes in the Buffalo Bills, Bay FC, and MLV’s Northern California franchise.
Additionally, the league has surpassed one million total fans in their brief, but explosive three year history. So far this season, MLV has averaged nearly 4,100 fans across close to 250 matches and already welcomed more than 172,000 fans through 47 matches. Parity and competitive balance remain strong in the league, with 95.3% of sets decided within single digits.
MLV, now under the leadership of Weston is set to capture a monumental moment in volleyball. In the United States, volleyball is the number one team sport for girls and USA Volleyball has seen unparalleled double-digit growth in their organization since 2021.
Furthermore, fans seem to flock to watch and consume women’s collegiate volleyball. In 2023, Nebraska played at their football stadium to a record breaking 92,003 fans. In December 2024, 22,000 fans attended the NCAA Division I Championship in Louisville, Kentucky. This year, ESPN had its most watched regional match of all-time, Texas A&M vs. Nebraska drew 1.2 million viewers on ABC and peaked at 1.6 million.
In addition, collegiate volleyball viewership grew by 99% year-over-year among adults aged 18-35, with 42% of the audience being female. This growth in fandom, particular women fans is especially important.
Previously, fans would only watch the short collegiate careers of their favorite volleyball players, as many resorted to playing overseas and only appeared back in the limelight during Olympic years. Now with leagues like the MLV, League One Volleyball (LOVB) and Athletes Unlimited, the players can see their fandom grow state side.
This is a massive development for the sport as a whole according to Walsh Jennings. She expressed, “For us [MLV] to be able to bridge the gap and to allow all that amazing NCAA competitive talent to stay stay here in America, to cut their teeth, to pay their bills, and build on their following, is amazing. The fact that we are going to be able to bridge that gap from college to Team USA, to really hone those athletes, is huge.”
She continued, “What the MLV is doing is allowing these athletes to have a true career.”
Thus, it is no surprise given the trends in the sport that MLV is about to enter a state of expansion adding three new teams in 2027, making the need for a centralized seasoned leader paramount.
The Commissioner Tasked With Leading Major League Volleyball
Weston is no stranger to being in powerful rooms and thinking creatively about how to drive businesses forward. She brings more than two decades of leadership experience across professional sports, media, and culture.
She formerly worked for the NFL where she was responsible for reconceptualizing fan engagement and growth. She served as a leader at Universal Music Group and On Location (a former division of Endeavor). Most recently, she served as Chief Commercial Officer of USA Volleyball, steering brand and commercial strategy ahead of the LA 2028 Olympic Games.
Weston’s résumé is undeniably impressive, but she is ready for this moment and to continue to grow the sport she loves. She explained, “MLV is in its third year of activation as a league. To me, this is no longer about a speculative growth story, it is about stewarding the growth, and that is really what excites me.” She continued, “It is not a question of whether or not this is going to work, but a matter of scaling it responsibly. That is what I am coming in to do as we move forward into the future.”
In addition, Weston described that MLV volleyball is “women-led, women-defined” and that is “what makes it different from the other pro offerings.” She continued, “We are not following our male counterparts that were first to market. Women are truly leading the way.”
This was echoed in more detail by Gouw, founding owner of MLV’s new Northern California franchise, alongside Walsh Jennings. Gouw said, “The women are actually leading the professional platform here. We are not just going to be measured to the ways the guys did it. We are blazing the trail. I think that is particularly unique for us and I feel very lucky that we have that.”
As Weston takes the first steps in this new role, she wants to focus on what the league has done well, but also hone in on the fan experience. She detailed, “My background and expertise has always been about putting the fan at the center and that is something that I want to double down on at the MLV. I want to make sure that the fan experience, from end to end, is a premium MLV experience.”
She explained her focus on the fans comes from the lessons learned and work in her previous roles, specifically the NFL. She stated, “Fandom is not expected. You have to earn it. When you think about it that way, and even if you are the most successful team out there, you cannot expect it. We know that there is a myriad of competition out there right now and it is not just with other sports, but with consumers time, attention, and share of wallet.”
Again, Weston knows the power fans hold. Research from the Sport Innovation Lab (acquired by Genius Sports) has found that fans today, especially younger fans are fluid, multi-dimensional fans that require more work to capture and establish brand loyalty. However, fans today, especially younger fans are more involved, aware, and consume women’s sports.
Weston’s Athletic Background Shapes Her Strategy as Commissioner
Weston also brings firsthand experience as a former NCAA Division I player at Georgia Tech. She believes that background will allow her to make an immediate impact, providing both insider perspective and a natural ability to connect with athletes.
She said, “I have an innate understanding of the sport, what goes into it, the year around nature of training, and what the athletes need. My fandom is there, I do not have a learning curve. First and foremost, coming in with the volleyball hat allows me to immerse myself in the business and focus on how we are going to move it forward.”
Further, Weston has the support of high-caliber investors and leaders around the league. Gouw explained, “The icing on the cake is she is a volleyball player, and is going to be about the players, and the league, and the entire infrastructure. She understands that whole ecosystem. She grew up as a volleyball player, played DI, and obviously her recent experience at USA Volleyball. She is uniquely qualified in her ability to bring the love [of the sport] and experience together. I could not be more thrilled that Jamie is going to be our inaugural commissioner.”
These sentiments about Weston’s acumen were echoed by Walsh Jennings, who said, “In every conversation I have with Jamie, her sincere love and knowledge of the game is so present. Obviously, she is a big fan of women’s sports and it changed her life and helped her become who she is now, leading the show. She continued, “She is such a great storyteller and she is so mindful of all the details that allow people to buy in and get vested throughout the league.”
According to Walsh Jennings, Weston’s appointment marks a turning point for the sport, “The hiring of Jamie Weston as MLV Commissioner is a very big deal for the sport of volleyball, across the board. I have been waiting for the leadership of the sport to be of the caliber of Jamie Weston, her heart, her integrity, her vision, and her experience are all going to come together to bring our sport to the next level.”
MLV announces Weston’s role as the league heads towards their All-Star Match in Orlando Florida on March 28 at Addition Financial Arena. The league continues play through the spring ending the regular season and beginning playoffs in early May.
Fans can watch games over the course of the season on 45 national linear broadcasts through CBS Sports, Roku, and ION Television, alongside direct-to-consumer streaming.
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