Major League Volleyball was a women's professional volleyball league in the United States. It was established in 1987 and disbanded during its third season on March 20, 1989.
The league launched in 1987 with six teams consisting of nine players per team, most of them former Olympians or college All-Americans. According to Commissioner Steve Arnold, each MLV player made a base salary of $5,500 a season. Bonuses were awarded to teams for each victory and for finishing in the top three, and to players for excelling in one of six statistical categories. For example, the team that won the first league championship got $25,000. A player who was best in serving aces got an extra $3,000. The egalitarian pay scale made contract negotiations unnecessary.
In addition, there were no independent team owners during the first two years of competition. There was what amounted to six major shareholders. "It was a concept I developed through having operated pro sports leagues and teams," says Arnold, an attorney who previously was a sports agent and was involved with the World Football League, American Basketball Association, World Hockey Association and World Team Tennis.
The MLV draft was open to any American players who doesn't have collegiate eligibility and doesn't play for a pro league in another country or on the U.S. national volleyball team. Through a trust agreement with the USVBL, the players retained their Olympic eligibility.
Wikipedia[ - ]
Major League Volleyball was a women's professional volleyball league in the United States. It...
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Major League Volleyball was a women's professional volleyball league in the United States. It was established in 1987 and disbanded during its third season on March 20, 1989.
The league launched in 1987 with six teams consisting of nine players per team, most of them former Olympians or college All-Americans. According to Commissioner Steve Arnold, each MLV player made a base salary of $5,500 a season. Bonuses were awarded to teams for each victory and for finishing in the top three, and to players for excelling in one of six statistical categories. For example, the team that won the first league championship got $25,000. A player who was best in serving aces got an extra $3,000. The egalitarian pay scale made contract negotiations unnecessary.
In addition, there were no independent team owners during the first two years of competition. There was what amounted to six major shareholders. "It was a concept I developed through having operated pro sports leagues and teams," says Arnold, an attorney who previously was a sports agent and was involved with the World Football League, American Basketball Association, World Hockey Association and World Team Tennis.
The MLV draft was open to any American players who doesn't have collegiate eligibility and doesn't play for a pro league in another country or on the U.S. national volleyball team. Through a trust agreement with the USVBL, the players retained their Olympic eligibility.
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