The Omaha Supernovas pro-volleyball team has broken the professional volleyball attendance record three times, won eight out of twelve games, and are currently second place in the standings, but it’s not just the numbers that matter.

Nebraska has been a name in women’s volleyball for years and the popularity of the sport is currently at a high. Now with the Supernovas taking the show on the road it’s no longer just about how popular it is in the state, It’s about how that popularity can take hold beyond Nebraska as well. 

Geoff Exstrom, director of communications and media relations for the Supernovas, offered some insight as to why Nebraskans are showing up to volleyball games in such numbers and what it means for the future of the sport here.

“Nebraskans love volleyball, but they also love a good production and we put on both those,” he said, “The athletes are such high caliber that every play and every rally is something to behold,” he remarked, “It’s very entertaining.” 

The entertainment value can’t be denied with a record high attendance of 12,090 fans at the last home game on March 16th, but attendance records aren’t the only goal. Exstrom also explained the benefits this popular new league can bring to young volleyball athletes in Nebraska.

“A lot of it is just going to be access and being able to establish a career here,” Something that hasn’t been easy in the past with no professional volleyball leagues in the states, “For years there's been no league for these college stars to come to after

their four years in America, but our league creates an opportunity to keep players home.”

With the Supernovas giving student athletes a place to play after college within the United States, the idea is that more young athletes will be inspired to pursue volleyball at all levels. 

This is the hope for all seven teams (with three more coming next year) in the Pro Volleyball Federation as well, not just the Supernovas in Nebraska. While other teams have seen good attendance numbers, they aren’t quite as stellar as those coming out of Nebraska with teams like Columbus bringing in an average of 5,000 fans and San Diego bringing in around 3,700 compared to Omaha's average attendance of 10,000.

Mike Patterson, a sportswriter for the Omaha World Herald who covers the Supernovas, explained how the success of the team in the long run depends also on how pro volleyball performs in these other states. 

“If the league doesn’t make it, it might come down to how the other franchises do,” Patterson said, “especially the ones in major league markets like in Atlanta or San Diego.” 

With the bigger cities having many other professional sports teams, it’s easy for volleyball to get lost in the noise. This is why it’s so important for the other teams to be promoting the sport like Omaha is.

 “The Supernovas are holding up their end,” Patterson continued, “but it's up to them (the other teams) to promote the product best they can and hope it catches on.”

It’s easy to see why this support and promotion of volleyball is so important when you look at how Nebraska is already reaping the benefits.

At the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, students and fans alike have been captivated by the sport. In an exhibition match at Memorial Stadium against Omaha, the Cornhusker women’s volleyball team drew a crowd of over 92,000, breaking the world record for attendance at any women’s sporting event. 

This combined with the consistent rise of attendance numbers for pro volleyball in Omaha is also inspiring young athletes and fans to pursue the sport in Nebraska.

Jordan Olsen, an english and journalism major in her third year at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, could not overstate the importance of these popular volleyball teams and their promotion of the sport she loves.

“It's a big deal having these teams here because volleyball has never had that before,” Olsen explained, “People get excited to be a community and cheer on these teams and it gets them into that space of volleyball and seeing their team play. That is enough to make them excited to come back.” 

Now the Supernovas are taking this passion for volleyball in Nebraska and showcasing

it on the road when they play in other states. With a current away record of 5-1, the message is there, but it’s up to the other teams of the Pro Volleyball Federation to listen to it and promote volleyball in their cities and states the way Nebraska has been.