Los Angeles – October 05, 2026 -- Major League Volleyball (MLV) has introduced a new salary-cap mechanism, the Marquee Player Exception, allowing every team to designate up to two players outside the league's standard cap structure, subject to a luxury tax.
Each team gains two designation slots for elite talent
Teams may name one Seasoned Marquee Player, an established professional athlete meeting league eligibility rules, and one Rookie Marquee Player, an elite collegiate athlete selected through the MLV Draft who joins the league immediately the season after being drafted.
Mechanism preserves existing cap for remaining roster spots
Compensation for marquee players sits outside the standard salary-cap framework but remains subject to MLV's luxury tax, while the rest of each roster continues to operate under existing financial rules. All marquee contracts remain subject to MLV's roster, contract, registration and eligibility regulations.
Commissioner frames move as global talent strategy
"This exception gives every team the same opportunity to make strategic investments in designated players while maintaining the competitive balance and salary-cap structure that are foundational to our league," said Jaime Weston, Commissioner of MLV.
Competition committee co-chair cites flexibility for international recruiting
Cole DeVos of the Grand Rapids Rise, co-chair of the competition committee, said the structure lets all MLV teams compete for global talent while protecting the integrity of the roster and salary-cap system for the rest of the league. DeVos added that the move targets long-term career sustainability for athletes rather than retention of individual players alone.
Rollout timeline ties to draft and free agency cycles
The exception will be incorporated into MLV's salary-cap and roster regulations, taking effect with the 2026 MLV Draft for NCAA players entering the league for the 2027 season, and with 2028 free agency for Seasoned Marquee Players. The 2026 MLV Draft is scheduled for November 23, 2026.
League expansion accompanies new cap tool
MLV enters its fourth season in 2027 with plans to expand to 12 teams across the United States, as the league positions itself within a broader wave of commercial growth in women's professional sports.