Billionaire LeBron James’s wife acquires stake in volleyball team

Savannah James has joined the ownership group of LOVB Los Angeles, a professional women’s volleyball franchise that begins play in 2027.

She announced it in a video posted to Instagram on Thursday, Sept. 17, saying she was officially an investor in Love Volleyball LA and was joining Issa Rae and Alexis Ohanian in the venture. The size of her stake has not been disclosed.

The team will play at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, the arena Steve Ballmer built for the Los Angeles Clippers and opened in 2024.

James framed the investment around her own business position rather than her husband’s. As an entrepreneur, she told Boardroom, she believes in putting her time, resources and voice behind women and the businesses creating opportunities for them, and said LOVB Los Angeles is building a platform for women to lead, compete and inspire the next generation.

She also gave a personal reason. Her daughter Zhuri plays volleyball, and James said it mattered to her that the investment went into a sport her child is coming up in alongside athletes who deserve the recognition they are now getting.

Her own portfolio has been growing. James runs Reframe Beauty and Let It Break, a platform focused on women’s wellness, and has built both independently of the companies her husband owns.

LeBron James, whom Forbes declared a billionaire in 2022, has assembled an unusually broad sports portfolio of his own, spanning football, baseball, ice hockey and motor racing. He shared his wife’s announcement on Instagram.

Her co-investors bring their own audiences. Issa Rae created and starred in Insecure and runs Hoorae Media alongside investments across technology and consumer brands. Ohanian co-founded Reddit, runs the venture firm Seven Seven Six, is married to Serena Williams and has backed several women’s sports properties including Angel City Football Club.

The franchise reveals its name, logo and brand identity at the Intuit Dome on Sept. 25, with a public fan event the following day.

Women’s professional volleyball is among the fastest-growing categories in American sport, and League One Volleyball has been building a league structure around it with heavy celebrity participation.