Women’s volleyball isn’t just a game—it’s a full-blown movement, and the stats are impossible to ignore. From record-smashing attendance to explosive TV ratings, and participation this sport is capturing hearts and headlines across the nation.
Attendance
- 2023 Nebraska Day: On Aug. 30, 2023, 92,003 fans packed Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Nebraska, breaking the world record for any women’s sporting event.
- 2024 NCAA Championship: On Dec. 22, 2024, 21,860 fans attended the national final at KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Kentucky where Penn State faced-off against Louisville, breaking the indoor attendance record.
- PVF 2025 Season Opener: Omaha Supernovas set the U.S. Pro Volleyball Attendance Record with 13,486 fans at CHI Health Center.
Viewership
- 2023 NCAA Championship: Averaged 1.7 million viewers on ABC—up 115% from 786,000 the previous year, with female viewership up 151%.
- Record Season on ESPN Nets: 635M minutes consumed across 38 matches with a 21% YoY growth—boosted by impressive gains among younger viewers (P2-17 up 90%, P18-24 up 70%) and a 28% increase among women.
- 2024 NCAA Tournament: Over 1.3 billion minutes watched, a 41% YoY increase. 99% increase in viewership among adults 18-34, with women making up 44% of the audience.
- 2024 NCAA Championship: Drew 1.3 million viewers, with the final peaking at 1.9 million.
Participation
- USA Volleyball Membership Growth: USA Volleyball membership surged 9.6% in the 2022-2023 season to 408,000, marking the largest % growth since 1998.
- All-Time Highs: Youth volleyball participation is booming, with a record-breaking 479,125 high school girls playing during the 2023-24 season.
As NCAA President Charlie Baker put it in 2023, “This is not the end, this is a trend. The sport has tremendous momentum with the fan community, but it also has tremendous momentum with young people. Young women are getting into this sport in a big way, and I think that means nothing but positivity and growth going forward.”
From stadiums filled to the brim to TV screens lighting up across the nation, women’s volleyball is entering its way into a golden era. Whether you’re a die-hard fan, or casual observer, there’s no denying that women’s volleyball is here to stay—and it’s only getting bigger.
