Photo: Michele Feola / Unsplash
Volleyball World CEO Finn Taylor will step down from his role on April 25th, with Vice Chair Martyn Phillips stepping up as interim CEO until a replacement is found.
Taylor has been in the position since 2021, following nearly two decades with the Cirque du Soleil. Volleyball World is the commercial vehicle of the FIVB, with Taylor moving on under good terms and with the best wishes of everyone across the FIVB umbrella.
The Fédération Internationale de Volleyball governs all volleyball across its 222 member federations, including the five continental confederations made up of the North and Central American NORCECA, European CEV, South American CSV, African CAVB, and the Asian and Oceanian AVC.
This could prove to be an exciting time for the sport as Taylor believes he leaves Volleyball World in a strong position and he hopes the governing body will appoint a successor who has the vision to take it to new heights.
Teams and fans around the world will be interested to see who steps in and what kind of changes are made to progress volleyball and beach volleyball. The sport already boasts strong support, and many viewers have embraced its inclusion in sports betting markets.
Sports betting specialist Robbie Purves explains that consumers are demanding greater choice, and when they explore how new sportsbooks compare, they want to know that they will find a wide variety of sports to bet on, including volleyball.
As sports entertainment continues to dominate TV schedules, the gambling industry, leisure activities, and much more, the incoming CEO will have a lot of opportunities to make a mark.
The FIVB’s focus on developing volleyball as a major sport around the globe appears to be on track, with statistics showing that it is the world’s fifth-largest sport in terms of fanbase, with 900 million. This makes it larger than other major sports, including basketball, baseball, rugby, and golf.
Volleyball World launched in 2021 through a partnership with the FIVB and investment firm CVC Capital Partners. As the commercial arm of the International Volleyball Federation, Volleyball World’s goals were to drive investment, growth, and innovation in the sport around the world.
Taylor was instrumental in creating an integrated ecosystem that brought fans, athletes, corporate partners, and stakeholders together via live and digital events. It also runs the digital streaming service VBTV which provides access to the best volleyball content available.
Further developments are on the cars following a February announcement that saw Volleyball World and TGI Sports, a sports tech firm, join together in a commercial tie-up that should help to enhance Volleyball World’s broadcasting capabilities.
A 10-year deal with Stats Perform was also announced in March, giving Volleyball World and its stakeholders access to sports data tech that will revolutionize the sport and give fans a far greater depth of information about their favorite teams and athletes.
FIVB President Fabio Azevedo was quick to thank Taylor for his contribution to the sport’s growth and was quick to emphasize that Volleyball is in an excellent position to drive on and become even bigger.
