Volleyball Nations League Officially Launched in Ottawa!
 

OTTAWA, Canada, February 7, 2018 - Today Volleyball Nations League – a new international sports/entertainment event – was officially welcomed to Ottawa!

Canada’s men’s national team will play matches on June 8, 9 and 10 against Australia, Germany and traditional North American rivals and Olympic bronze medalists, the United States, at The Arena at TD Place at Lansdowne Park in Ottawa.

The FIVB (international volleyball federation) event is organized locally by Volleyball Canada, the Eastern Ontario Region of the Ontario Volleyball Association (OVA) and Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group (OSEG).

“We are thrilled to be hosting an international event of this caliber and will once again welcome the world to TD Place with open arms,” said Mark Goudie, COO at OSEG. “Featuring some of the best volleyball players in the world, fans are in for a thrilling experience with the Volleyball Nations League.”  

City of Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson brought greetings on behalf of the municipality: “Through our Bid More, Win More, Host More strategy, Ottawa continues to attract world-class events to our city, and the incredible success of this approach shows no signs of slowing down. Like many of the events that we’ve hosted since the implementation of this new strategy, the Volleyball Nations League will have a significant impact on our local economy and enhance our visibility on the world stage.”

Also in attendance at TD Place today was Mona Fortier, MP for Ottawa-Vanier, athletes from the men’s training centre including assistant men’s coach Dan Lewis, local club coaches and athletes and other special guests. 

“Canada has made great gains on the international volleyball stage in recent years,” said Volleyball Canada President and CEO, Mark Eckert. “We are looking forward to showcasing the men’s team on Canadian soil for the first time since 2016, right here in the Nation’s Capital!”  Canada’s men’s team is currently ranked sixth in the world.
 
Volleyball Nations League is new for 2018!
In both the men’s and women’s leagues, 12 core teams and four challenger teams will battle to become Volleyball Nations League champion by playing in a round robin format. With a total of 130 matches throughout the league season, every team will play a minimum of 15 matches and each core nation will host at least one pool, bringing the action closer to fans around the world.

On the men’s side, the core teams are: Argentina, Brazil, China, France, Germany, Iran, Italy, Japan, Poland, Russia, Serbia and the USA. The four challenger teams are: Australia, Bulgaria, Canada and South Korea. The Canadian women’s team is not part of the Volleyball Nations League in 2018, but will compete in the affiliated Challenger League.

A joint project between the FIVB, IMG and 21 national federations – the Volleyball Nations League will present volleyball in a way that has never been experienced before, building on the innovative sports presentation on display at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.