The Indy Ignite wave to the crowd following their inaugural match at Fishers Event Center. Photo by Clay Maxfield
AFTER JUST ONE year, the Indy Ignite has changed league names. Earlier this summer, it was announced that the Indy Ignite and all other members of the now former Pro Volleyball Federation joined with members of Major League Volleyball to create a larger, unified MLV.
This transition “is not a merger, it’s more a rebranding,” says Mary Kay Huse, president of the Indy Ignite. The transition has “been pretty seamless. Basically, it’s a rebrand of PVF into MLV. It’s the same structure, same league. The league is a couple of years old now and looking over the horizon to see the growth is very exciting.”
The PVF’s first year was 2024, and it began with seven teams. The Ignite waited one year, joining in 2025 to boost the league to eight teams. Coming off a very successful maiden season with the highlight of making it to the finals of the PVF championships, the Ignite feel this is more than a lateral move, but an opportunity and another chance to grow the brand and fan base. Teams competing in MLV are Atlanta, Columbus, Dallas, Grand Rapids, Indy, Omaha, Orlando, and San Diego, with plans to expand in 2027 with teams in Washington, D.C., and Northern California.
The path for unification began in January when Omaha announced it was leaving the PVF to create MLV. “Following last season, teams were in conversations at the league level. We always want to continue to grow,” Huse says.
The merger is reportedly valued at over $325 million, which reflects the increased investment and potential of the unified league. It will build on its first two successful seasons, which had more than 80 million social impressions, nearly one million total engagements, and over 250,000 social followers. In addition, attendance reached more than 750,000 over the first two campaigns, with a total of 45 nationally televised matches—including an inaugural All-Star Match, hosted by the Ignite, that drew a peak viewership of 445,000 on CBS network television.
“There was not a lot of trepidation going in,” Huse says. “It was universally agreed [at the board level] that the MLV name and brand were available, and we realized we are better together.”
There is no economic impact for the teams since the business model is MLV teams that are locally owned and operated with their own budgets. But for the franchise owners and the league itself, there is a big advantage to joining forces.
“Franchise sales are really important in the first years,” Huse says. “If you look at the WNBA, which has been around for 25 years, teams are now buying in at $250 million. I think [the value increase] will be faster for volleyball than for the WNBA. You’ll see [MLV teams] on a similar, steeper trajectory.”
“To be eight franchises strong with two more signed up for ’27 is very exciting,” says Huse. A positive byproduct of this is that the unification will allow even more American players to stay in the U.S. and play rather than take their talents to Europe, creating an even more dynamic brand of volleyball here.
Similar to Major League Soccer, this merger also affords foreign players the opportunity to compete in the States. As a case in point, several prominent European soccer players are currently making an impact in Major League Soccer—including superstar Lionel Messi’s arrival at Inter Miami CF as a major headline. The Ignite recently hired Lauren Bertolacci, a former player and head coach in Europe, as its head coach. She is the first coach in MLV to come from across the pond.
“She’s quite accomplished,” says Huse. “She’s really the only coach coming in with professional experience. With the youth of the league itself, a lot of the coaches are transitioning from the NCAA, so bringing in the experience of an international coach will be a great asset. She’ll be a leader not only for our team, but for the whole league because of her experience.”
As it enters its third season, MLV has also aligned itself with USA Volleyball and Olympic development to serve as the premier pathway from professional play to the world stage. With the recent beginning of the free agency signing period, the 2026 schedule has yet to be released, but matches will start in January with a draft set for sometime in November.
