Women’s college volleyball is poised for a growth spurt in the coming years.
The game will get a big spotlight this summer under a deal struck between Full Day Productions and GSE Worldwide to produce “Spikes Under the Lights,” a showcase event that will bring the four best college teams in the nation together for a best-of-three competition for a $1 million purse. It’s set to air live Aug. 27 from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Full Day and GSE are in the midst of finalizing a deal with a top TV network.
Full Day, part of Connor Schell’s Words + Pictures and North Road Co., aims to make Spikes Under the Lights and annual event that the company. The event will consist of two semifinal matchups followed by a championship final.
“Volleyball is a unique college sport. It doesn’t have a male alternative that it is compared to,” says Nickole Tara, who is chief business officer for Words + Pictures and Full Day. “Volleyball stands on its own as a powerhouse for women. We’re seeing incredible examples of professional leagues getting off the ground and we’re seeing incredible ratings for League One Volleyball championships.”
The conditions are ripe for a volleyball explosion because generations of women have now played the game in high school and college. Harper Murray, star player for the University of Nebraska, is among the most sought-after and highly paid college athletes of the NIL era. Nebraska will be a cornerstone of Spikes Under the Lights along with Penn State, Florida State and Texas’ SMU. The prize money will be used to support the winning school’s volleyball program.
“You have a whole generation of women who played at scale at grassroots level. Generation or two of fans and now they’re children are playing at the youth level,” Tara says. “There’s a real community around volleyball and its fan group. It used to be impassioned and niche. Now it’s impassioned at scale.”
GSE Worldwide is an established promoter and producer of sporting events including Pickleball Slam, Major League Pickleball, the Champions Series and the World Series of Beach Volleyball.
Full Day is known for its skill at pulling off big live events including ESPN’s ESPY Awards, the NFL Honors, the Met Gala livestream and Netflix’s first live tennis event, the Netflix Slam.
With Spikes Under the Lights, Full Day will have ownership in the event rather than serving as a producer for hire. That’s been a goal since Tara joined the company last year after previously working for Cirque du Soleil, AEG and Top Golf. “Less work for hire and more of an investment in our future,” she said.
Tara has every confidence that volleyball is on its way to becoming a top collegiate sport and vehicle for female athletes.
“The format of volleyball is very conducive to live TV. The play is explosive and action packed and its naturally programmed with mini breaks, substitutions and time outs. There are brief pauses for storytelling and host-addition content,” Tara says. “It’s funny to watch people watch volleyball for the first time. People are shocked at how quick-paced it is. There’s a lot of emotion in a volleyball game, a lot of highs and a lot of lows.”
(Pictured: Harper Murray of Nebraska)