Debut by star-studded League One Volleyball seemed extra like an exhibition than a contest.

I get it that the gamers had been oh-so overjoyed to be part of a landmark occasion and that plenty of the ladies are mates (or no less than pleasant) as a result of they practice within the USA nationwide crew’s fitness center.

However all the sweetness and lightweight and comfortable, smiling faces made the match between visiting LOVB Salt Lake and LOVB Atlanta come off as extra of a scrimmage — and even an open fitness center — than a severe tussle that counted within the standings. Even the postmatch celebration by the Salt Lake crew after its four-set victory had an understated “one other day on the workplace” vibe.

Salt Lake Coach Tama Miyashio mentioned, “It wasn’t simply one other volleyball match,” however from an depth standpoint, it positive seemed like “simply one other volleyball match” to me.

Hearth could be an excessive amount of to count on in a primary match (though, was it, actually, when the league gained’t get a second probability to make the very important first impression?) however I didn’t even see plenty of spark. The group of three,239 at intimate Gateway Middle Area within the Atlanta suburbs may need sensed it, too, as a result of. for essentially the most half, the spectators sat on their palms.

The organizers of startup LOVB did an admirable job of assembling expertise for its six groups, snagging the lion’s share of the gamers from our Olympic crew that earned the silver medal and Paris, a few of whom had been golden within the 2021 Tokyo Video games. However all the gamers draw their paychecks from one supply, LOVB, and the league assigned them to their groups. Maybe that has added to the all-for-one-and-one-for-all bonhomie I noticed on the court docket in the course of the supposedly historic “First Serve” match.

Because the schedule proceeds and the standings turn out to be related, I hope to see the gamers exhibit a extra applicable “sport face.” A super time to begin could be the match on Thursday evening between host Austin and Houston, which can be streamed on the subscription ESPN+ platform at 7 p.m. Central.

Now for a number of phrases on the TV presentation I watched final evening on ESPN+. It was fairly good. I noticed plenty of squawking on social media in regards to the telecast’s frequent use of low-angle courtside photographs and wider-angle views from the baseline, however in my estimation, they added to my viewing expertise.

Was it completely different? Sure. But it surely introduced the viewer nearer to the motion and these photographs had been a breath of recent air from the standard reliance on the sideline “excessive laborious digital camera” that’s seen on matches with lesser manufacturing values. Even the excessive sideline digital camera’s view was tighter than regular, a welcome change.

On Opening Night time, I might have loved seeing all the gamers launched on TV, which might have given everyone tuning in additional context. However, regrettably, participant introductions are as uncommon as hen’s tooth on modern sports activities tv. On the very least, a extra complete graphic with first and final names and photos of every participant ought to have been ready for the groups’ beginning lineups.

As could be anticipated from elite-level athletes with worldwide expertise, the standard of the volleyball was darned good, even when it lacked a lot sense of urgency. LOVB commissioned skilled announcers Anne Marie Anderson and Kevin Wong for the ESPN+ stream they usually did knowledgeable job calling the match with an emphasis on mainstream sports activities followers.

The reside stats on LOVB’s web site stayed on zeros till halfway via the third set, a minor inconvenience, however one which needs to be addressed.