Fox Sports announced Monday that it will televise 35 women’s college volleyball matches this season, including eight games on Fox, according to ABC News. The network said that is the most matches ever shown on a broadcast network in a single season.
The schedule is led by a marquee matchup between top-ranked Nebraska and No. 2 Texas in the inaugural Players Era Volleyball Showcase in Las Vegas on Aug. 30. The other 27 matches will air on FS1 and FS2.
Fox Sports president for insight and analytics Mike Mulvihill said the network sees volleyball as the next major growth sport in women’s athletics, comparing its current rise to the recent surge in women’s basketball. He pointed to the strong followings for teams such as Nebraska, Wisconsin and Texas, along with recent momentum for Pitt and Louisville.
Fox’s coverage begins with Louisville against Wisconsin in the Jeep AVCA First Serve on Saturday at 4 p.m. Eastern. The schedule also includes a Big Ten/SEC Volleyball Challenge Week doubleheader from Wrigley Field on Sept. 6 and the first Big Ten Volleyball Championship on Nov. 25.
