Los Angeles officially has a new professional sports team on the horizon, with the city's women’s professional volleyball team announcing its nickname will be Orbit. The reveal came this past Friday, with a fan fest scheduled for Saturday at the Intuit Dome, offering residents a first look at the new franchise.
The fan fest runs from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., inviting fans to the Intuit Dome to purchase team apparel, meet players, and even try their hand at volleyball, including having their vertical leap measured. Attendees can also select their season ticket locations, all while enjoying food, drinks, and music from a DJ.
The team’s chosen nickname, Orbit, aligns with its slogan, "Everything Revolves Around Her." Team President Ana Mendy emphasized the philosophy behind the name. Mendy stated that "Everything we are building starts with her," referring to athletes, young girls watching, teammates, and fans. She added that "Orbit is about that pull toward something bigger than yourself," aiming to place women and girls "at the center" of the experience, rather than on the sidelines.
The nickname was unveiled in an approximately 70-second video. The video was narrated by Emmy-nominated actress and producer Issa Rae, who is also one of the team’s investors. Zhuri James, the 11-year-old daughter of Savannah James, another team investor and wife of basketball star LeBron James, also made an appearance in the video.
The Los Angeles Orbit is owned by tech entrepreneur and venture capitalist Alexis Ohanian, known also as the husband of tennis star Serena Williams. Ohanian highlighted Los Angeles as a unique place where "sports, culture, technology and entertainment come together," making it an "incredible place to build something new in women’s sports." He described the Los Angeles Orbit as "the beginning of something much bigger than a team," calling it "the beginning of a movement." The nickname announcement event at the Intuit Dome also featured a discussion with Ohanian, Rae, and Nobel Peace Prize-winning activist Malala Yousafzai, focusing on championing women.
On the court, the Orbit's roster is set to feature a strong lineup of talent. Among the players are Olympic gold medalists Annie Drews Schumacher and Haleigh Washington, silver medalist Kathryn Boden, and bronze medalist Carli Lloyd. Guiding the team will be coach Zé Roberto, who previously led Brazil’s women’s volleyball team to multiple Olympic medals, including gold in 2008 and 2012, silver in 2021, and bronze in 2024.
The Los Angeles Orbit joins League One Volleyball, known as LOVB and pronounced "love," as one of its four expansion teams. The team is scheduled to begin play in December, marking the league’s third season. LOVB previously operated with six teams in each of its first two seasons, with a stated mission to "reimagine the future of volleyball." Beyond professional play, LOVB also maintains an extensive network of youth volleyball clubs, laying groundwork from grassroots levels up.