In front of 92,003 fans, Nebraska volleyball did the unthinkable — the Huskers broke the all-time American and international record for attendance at a women’s sporting event Wednesday, Aug. 30.
The Cornhuskers defeated University of Nebraska-Omaha in three swift sets. While many might have tuned in for the actual match, the real spectacle was a volleyball team playing in a football stadium in front of the largest crowd in women’s sporting history.
“It’s outstanding,” said NC State volleyball’s junior middle blocker Jada Allen. “I’m a big nerd when it comes to broadcasting and stuff like that. So all [that] it’s doing for women in sports on television, I love it.”
It’s a monumental achievement for the sport of volleyball — showing the rise of the sport’s popularity across the country.
The number of U.S. high school volleyball players increased from 409,332 girls and 50,016 boys in 2010, to 454,153 girls and 66,487 boys in 2022. This gradual increase in participation shows that the sport is gaining more popularity every year in the U.S., which can help the country on the international stage.
Volleyball is a well-known sport all across the world, and it brings in millions of viewers every match. The international governing body of volleyball, the Fédération Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB), estimates the sport has around 3.5 billion fans worldwide. The FIVB Volleyball Nations League — which was held in May, June and July this year — draws around 2.5 billion viewers each year.
The U.S. consistently makes its mark on the international volleyball stage as well, as Team USA showcased in the 2020 Olympics. Team USA’s women’s volleyball team won gold — with NC State’s head coach Luka Slabe as one of the assistant coaches.
“Volleyball is [the] number two female sport in the world,” Slabe said. “It’s right there when it comes to all [the] sports in the world. Men’s volleyball across the world is huge.”
The problem in the U.S. is that many people aren’t watching volleyball on both the national and collegiate levels. It’s only in specific NCAA conferences where volleyball is able to get the recognition it deserves.
The Big 10 Conference is leading the charge when it comes to helping women’s volleyball grow. BTN, the network that broadcasts everything related to the conference, has increased its total volleyball broadcasts per year from 23 to 42, in addition to highlighting games through replays.
Nebraska’s historic game on the 30th was broadcasted on BTN, sending more viewers to the channel and the conference. Volleyball is the third most popular sport within the conference, only trailing behind football and men’s basketball.
So, how can volleyball become more popular and recognizable in more conferences around the country? The answer might rely on the spectacle of that night in Lincoln.
Playing in a 90,000 seat football stadium helped the Huskers reach the coveted world record — something that can be easily imitated by colleges around the country.
“[The Nebraska game] could have been a loss, but just that [so] many eyes were on women’s volleyball, I think it’s amazing,” Allen said. “I mean I couldn’t really care less how the game went, I was just so excited to see how many people watched it and how people were tuned in.”
The increase in viewership also helps both the athletes and universities gain more revenue. With the recent uptick in NIL deals — a program that allows student athletes to make money off their name, image and likeness — many female student athletes are able to turn their athletic abilities into money. More viewers equals more fans, which can mean more recognition of their talent.
Out of all the 522 women’s sport programs in the six major public collegiate conferences, only one turned a profit in 2022 — Nebraska women’s volleyball.
“People need to know that [this] is more than coming and supporting this program,” Slabe said. “Our administration needs to continue supporting us and understand women’s volleyball is making big strides forward in general, not just at NC State. It’s gonna take us a little bit, but yeah, it’s a beautiful sport.”
It’s time for colleges and universities around the country to understand that volleyball is on the rise and recognize the chance to tap into the sport’s market. Athletics programs should not focus on one or two major sports, but rather spread attention to the teams that are growing their fanbases.
With a gold medal-winning head coach and special talent on its roster, the NC State volleyball program has the ability to support volleyball’s nationwide rise.
And who knows, maybe someday Raleigh can pack Carter-Finley Stadium with 90,000 passionate fans of its own — not for football, but for volleyball.
