Volleyball World, the commercial joint venture between the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) and CVC Capital Partners, has extended its partnership with the Big Ten Network, run by Fox Sports alongside the US college sports conference.
The extension, unveiled today (August 29), involves the Volleyball TV (VBTV) OTT streaming service run by the governing body covering 28 Big Ten volleyball matches live during the upcoming season, with that number then rising to 40 in 2024-25 (in which four new collegiate programs will join the conference).
Both parties have said the extension will “bring VBTV into the spotlight, streaming the Big Ten Women’s Volleyball matches for fans across the world.”
As well as this, an additional 25 games will be available via video-on-demand, 24 hours after the fixtures take place.
There will also be live streaming of over 50 Big Ten Network volleyball matches, outside of North America and select Caribbean islands.
The original tie-up between Volleyball World and the Big Ten Network came in August 2022, with that agreement originally intended to be multi-year.
Finn Taylor, chief executive at Volleyball World, said: “Followed by fans across the US and beyond, the Big Ten is one of the most competitive volleyball conferences in North America and we are excited to continue bringing these matches to our global audience. On VBTV, we aim to revolutionize the way fans can experience the sport.”
Michael Calderon, Big Ten Network’s senior vice president for programming and digital media, added: “Volleyball World and Volleyball TV are a tremendous asset for the volleyball community and a destination for international viewing. We are looking forward to delivering outstanding Big Ten matches to the widest possible audience and continuing to create opportunities for fans to enjoy collegiate volleyball abroad.”
Big Ten volleyball comprises the women’s volleyball sides from the conference’s 14 members, with the 2023 season having begun last weekend (August 26 and 27).
