Kerri Walsh Jennings, one of the most decorated beach volleyball players, has become a founding partner of Major League Volleyball (MLV) and holds the position of Founding Owner and Chief Impact Officer for the league's Northern California team. MLV officially launched in early 2025. In an episode of "The Deal," she discussed with Alex Rodriguez and Jason Kelly how she is leveraging her Olympic and World Champion status into team ownership within MLV.
Walsh Jennings's involvement comes at a time when professional volleyball is seeing significant growth and the emergence of two new leagues: Major League Volleyball (MLV) and League One Volleyball (LOVB). While volleyball is the world's most popular female sport and a top high school sport for girls in the U.S., professional opportunities have historically been limited. She shared her perspective on what MLV needs to do to succeed amidst this competitive landscape.
Her career highlights include three Olympic gold medals (2004, 2008, 2012) with Misty May-Treanor, a 112-match win streak, and a bronze medal in 2016. After stepping back from Olympic competition in 2023, Walsh Jennings focused on expanding the sport. She co-founded p1440 in 2018, a platform dedicated to growing access to volleyball through youth programming, scholarships, coaching development, and elite competition, providing over $100,000 annually in scholarship support. She also launched Hero Volleyball, an event that combines elite competition with cultural experiences, with a portion of proceeds benefiting the Hampton Lifeguard Association.
MLV is described as a newly consolidated premier women's professional volleyball league backed by more than $100 million in committed funding, launching its 2027 season in the Bay Area. Walsh Jennings expressed enthusiasm for building a platform that provides young athletes with professional aspirations, noting her own experience as a ball girl at Stanford University as a life-changing moment. The growth in women's sports is attracting substantial investment, with League One Volleyball selling team ownership stakes at valuations around $20 million, highlighting the increasing financial interest in professional women's volleyball.
