United States Professional Volleyball (2002)

Background

United States Professional Volleyball (USPV) was a women’s professional volleyball league that played one  season in four cities during the winter and spring of 2002. League founder William W. Kennedy, an Illinois real estate developer and parent of USPV player Kelly Kennedy, spent years organizing the league. The USPV “Dream Team” played three years of exhibition showcases across the upper Midwest between 1999 and 2001 as Kennedy drummed up sponsors and supporters to his league in full.

USPV finally debuted as a proper league in February 2002 with teams in Chicago, Grand Rapids, Minnesota (Rochester) and St. Louis. The four clubs played an 18-game regular season schedule and players reportedly earned $22,000 – $28,000 salaries for the six-month season.¹Merkin, Scott. “USPV shuts down, eyes a 2003 return”. The Tribune (Chicago, IL). February 1, 2003

The Minnesota Chill, who played at the Mayo Civic Center in Rochester, won USPV’s only championship in May 2002. The Chill defeated the Chicago Thunder 3 games to 2 in a best-of-five playoff series.

Trouble struck in November 2002, as the four teams prepared to start USPV’s second season in January. Founder William Kennedy announced that he had been USPV’s only investor to date and was no longer willing to be the “single funding source for the league”.²ASSOCIATED PRESS. “USPVL facing financial distress”. The Daily Herald (Austin, MN). November 22, 2002 The league cancelled the first month of the 2003 schedule and scrambled to find new capital to save at least part of the schedule. After that search failed, USPV bowed to the inevitable and folded in January 2003.

United States Professional Volleyball Franchise List

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