Why women's volleyball is a booming as a media property

Episode 578 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features Courtney Thompson, an analyst for USA Network and a two-time U.S. Olympic volleyball player. Thompson will serve as the analyst for USA Network's League One Volleyball (LOVB) Game of the Week airing on Wednesdays nights from January through April. The first broadcast is Jan. 7 at 6:00 PM ET. In this podcast Thompson discusses how she approaches broadcasting volleyball; why her sport has seen growth over the last five years; why the league's six franchises -- Atlanta, Austin, Houston, Madison, Nebraska and Salt Lake City — were chosen and LOVB's plans to expand from six to nine teams beginning in 2027; the new money being invested in the sport; what makes for a good volleyball broadcast; balancing being an advocate with objectivity; the importance of the 2028 Summer Olympics in L.A. to help the product and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and more.