The booming business of men's volleyball

The Hustle··8 min read
SportsBusinessCulture
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AI Summary

Small and mid-size U.S. colleges facing enrollment crises are adding niche sports like men's volleyball to attract students and stay financially viable. Boys' high school volleyball participation has surged 76% over the last decade, creating a pipeline of recruits for Division II and III schools. At these institutions, athletes now make up ~25% of all students, up from ~15% in 2004, making sports a critical enrollment lever.

Key Facts

✓Boys' high school volleyball participation surged 76% over the last decade, creating a recruiting pipeline that small colleges are now exploiting to survive enrollment crises.
✓Division II and III schools now have athletes comprising ~25% of all students (up from ~15% in 2004), making sports a critical financial lifeline as traditional enrollment bases shrink.
✓Hartwick College launched a men's volleyball team this year as part of a broader strategy that also includes slashing tuition and adding majors after enrollment dropped ~30% since the early 2010s.

Author Takes

BullishThe Hustle

Men's volleyball growth as a college enrollment strategy

The 76% surge in boys' high school volleyball participation is an 'absurd outlier' that small colleges are smartly leveraging, though an optimal number of athletes is key — too many can accelerate financial collapse.

Contrarian Angle

Adding Niche Sports to Drive College Enrollment

Small colleges facing enrollment cliffs are launching men's volleyball and women's flag football teams to attract niche athlete pools, since Division III schools offer no athletic scholarships, keeping costs low while filling seats.

Instead of competing on prestige or price alone, struggling colleges are using obscure sports with fast-growing youth participation as a low-cost, differentiated recruitment strategy.

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