Will Vegas Thrill Remain a Pro Team?: Professional Volleyball

Just the beginning // Prepping for their second season, the Vegas Thrill had a scrimmage where fans could watch them play for the first time. This excited the fans for the rest of the season that was to come. (Photo courtesy of Jasmin Kapur)

Just three miles from our school, from January to May, fans could watch the Vegas Thrill play at Lee’s Family Forum, previously known as the Dollar Loan Center Arena. The team is called the Vegas Thrill, and they even have their own mascot, Cadence the Catamount. Last season, the team started off strong with various wins before falling into a slump. Subsequently, the Vegas Thrill lost its initial ownership group due to the major merger between the Pro Volleyball Federation (PVF) and Major League Volleyball (MLV) in August 2025. The Pro Volleyball Federation was the league the team was originally in. This led fans to question whether the team will remain together or break apart.

“The MLV confirmed that the Vegas Thrill, who played in the PVF’s first two seasons, are not scheduled to play next season due to an ongoing search for local ownership to buy the franchise,” SportsPro states. ”Meanwhile, Dallas, which was set to join the PVF next year, will be part of the newly formed league.”

The previous owner of the Vegas Thrill also owned another team in the Federation, the Omaha Supernovas. When the two volleyball leagues combined, they decided to keep their stake in the Supernovas and sold the Thrill back to the league. The Thrill has not come to an end yet and is still operating while searching for a new owner. However, I think the Thrill is not going to remain a team. One main reason for this is that the team lost various of its star players to other teams. For example, starting outside hitter Charitie Luper (5’9”) and fellow standout Hannah Maddox (6'2’) have both moved to the Orlando Valkyries. As the Thrill loses these outstanding players, other teams are only getting better and better, making it increasingly unlikely that the Thrill will survive.

“I hope the Vegas Thrill remains a team because I loved going to their games, but considering they don’t have a coach or many players, including Charitie Luper, I'm not sure if it is worth going and worth it for the team to stick together,” sophomore Jasmin Kapur said.

Another reason why the team might not remain is due to financial issues for the Thrill, as ticket sales would drop. Additionally, they might have problems remaining a team if fans are less inclined to go to the games, due to the loss of many of their skillful players. The team and the venue could lose money from concessions, merchandise sales, and parking. Furthermore, the team could lose sponsors if they have minimal fan attendance. Sponsorship value is determined by the exposure and engagement the team can offer, so sponsors will not want to partner with a team no one watches. 

To summarize, the Vegas Thrill is in a dilemma due to the loss of many of its star players and the absence of an owner. This situation has discouraged many fans from attending the games, causing ticket sales to drop and financial strains with the team. For these reasons, I do not think the Vegas Thrill will stay as a team. The odds are stacked against them, and in my opinion, it is not worth it for them to stay together.