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Is the Women’s CEV Champions League Living Up to Its Potential?

by WoV

The Women’s CEV Champions League has entered the second half of its group stage, slowly building towards the knockout rounds. Yet, this premier European volleyball competition faces challenges that raise crucial questions: Is the current format maximizing its potential, and is it truly fostering competitive growth across Europe?

A Limited Path to the Pool Stage

Despite an open invitation for participation to nearly all member countries and champions within the CEV community, this season featured only one preliminary round leading directly to the pool stage. The result? A limited number of qualifying teams and a noticeable divide in quality within the pools. Teams are effectively split into two categories: those vying for a place in the knockout stage and those destined to continue in the CEV Cup.

This disparity has led to predictable outcomes in many matches, with dominant teams often securing 3-0 victories. In fact, these dominant squads frequently rotate their rosters, fielding players who are not regular starters. While this strategy makes practical sense, it highlights a significant issue: the gulf in competitiveness diminishes the excitement and reduces the value of these matches for players, fans, and clubs alike.

Financial Strain and Minimal Returns

Another pressing concern is the financial burden on participating clubs. Unlike other sports, such as football, participation and victories in the CEV Champions League do not generate sufficient revenue to cover costs, let alone turn a profit. Clubs often face high travel expenses and logistical challenges, investing time and resources into matches that do little to boost their visibility or attract spectators. Without a tangible return on investment, frustration is mounting among top-tier teams.

A Call for Reform

Under its new leadership, the European volleyball governing body faces a critical task: transforming the CEV Champions League into an attractive and profitable competition for elite teams while encouraging broader participation. Here are key areas that demand attention:

1. Enhancing Competitiveness

To close the quality gap, the CEV must incentivize clubs to build stronger rosters. Providing greater financial rewards, visibility, and benefits to participating teams could motivate clubs to invest in talent and infrastructure. Emulating football’s model, where continental tournaments add immense value to clubs, could inspire a similar evolution in volleyball.

2. Strengthening Sponsorship and Media Presence

Volleyball has untapped potential to attract sponsors and engage fans. A more competitive and extended season would make the sport more appealing to broadcasters and betting companies, both of which play a significant role in modern sports financing. Betting companies are currently one of the major sources of funding in sports, playing a significant role in planning and covering seasonal expenses while managing the associated challenges. Sports hold strong appeal for their portfolios, creating mutual interest but also presenting significant challenges to ensure everything stays within acceptable and regulated boundaries. Often, through various promotions, they offer attractive deals — find a sportsbook sign up bonus here — to capture public attention and interest. Increased visibility through well-organized European tournaments could also create idols, foster community engagement, and deepen fan loyalty.

3. Revamping the Calendar

The current season length of 5-7 months for clubs is insufficient for sustained growth and engagement. A longer season, with consistent fixtures over 10 months, could boost marketing opportunities, enhance player development, and maintain fan interest. Integrating windows for national team competitions, as seen in basketball and football, could also ensure continuous visibility for both clubs and international teams. The current FIVB international calendar, and CEV calendar effectively divide the season into two distinct parts: the club season and the national team season. This structure allocates approximately seven months to club competitions and around five months to national team events, with minimal overlap between the two. While this arrangement avoids scheduling conflicts, it creates a significant gap in activity for both clubs and national teams during their respective off-seasons.

Learning from Other Sports

Football and basketball offer valuable lessons in creating robust club seasons. By ensuring nearly year-round competition, these sports maintain consistent media coverage, fan engagement, and revenue streams. Volleyball could adapt this model, balancing club and international schedules to sustain interest and develop a broader audience. In those mentioned sports, the club and national team seasons are intertwined over almost 11 months, while athletes still have enough time for rest within a year. Unfortunately, this is not the case in volleyball, where some of the best male and female players compete almost year-round without the necessary rest periods, increasing the risk of injuries. Meanwhile, those not involved in national team programs face an excessively long break between two seasons.

The Road Ahead

The CEV Champions League has all the ingredients to become a premier competition, but its current format leaves much to be desired. By addressing issues of competitiveness, financial sustainability, and calendar structure, European volleyball can unlock its full potential.

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