Women's Volleyball Showcase Coming to AT&T Stadium

Published on July 29, 2026

Four individuals stand confidently in volleyball uniforms representing SMU, PSU, Nebraska, and Florida. Their respective logos are displayed below them. The setting is dramatic with a black background.

Full Day Productions and GSE Worldwide (GSE) announced the launch of Spikes Under the Lights, a premium women’s college volleyball showcase debuting Thursday, August 27 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, home of the Dallas Cowboys. In a first for the sport, the inaugural event will feature a $1 million prize pool - the largest ever awarded in women’s college sports - as four of the nation’s top programs, Nebraska, Penn State, SMU, and Florida, compete in a high-stakes, primetime showdown.

The three-hour event will air live in primetime on a major national network, placing women’s college volleyball on one of the largest stages in sports and entertainment. Broadcast partner details will be announced in the coming weeks. Spikes Under the Lights will mark a historic milestone as the first women’s college sporting event to be staged at AT&T Stadium, and one of the first women’s sporting events of any kind to take place in an NFL venue.

The event will feature a single-night, high-intensity competition format with two semifinal matchups followed by a championship final, all played in a best-of-three set structure designed for broadcast. The showcase will mark the first volleyball event of its kind at AT&T Stadium, one of the most iconic venues in sports with a capacity of up to 100,000, with a scalable configuration designed to optimize both in-stadium atmosphere and broadcast presentation.

From the producers behind the ESPY Awards, NFL Honors, Met Gala’s livestream and Netflix’s first live tennis event, The Netflix Slam, Full Day Productions has built a reputation for producing premium, culturally resonant broadcasts. With Spikes Under the Lights, the company is making a deliberate move beyond production, identifying the rapid rise of women’s college volleyball and strategically investing in the creation of its own IP.

“Spikes Under the Lights represents a pivotal shift in how Full Day goes to market. We’re not just showing up as a service provider, but as the equity investor; driving the total experience as the ultimate value creation vehicle,” said Nickole Tara, Chief Business Officer, Words + Pictures & Full Day Productions. “This showcase isn’t just about the competition on the court; it’s about

building a property with real prize money, real stakes, and a reputation that compounds year over year. We believe that growth begins when you move from renting a seat at the table to building your own.”

GSE Worldwide has built a diversified portfolio of owned and operated event IP across sports and entertainment, including the Pickleball Slam, Major League Pickleball, the Champions Series, and the World Series of Beach Volleyball. As part of its broader platform, the company identifies high-growth categories and invests in creating premium live experiences that extend beyond competition into culture. With fully integrated capabilities across production, distribution, partnerships, and commercialization, GSE is focused on developing scalable properties that engage audiences and deliver long-term enterprise value.

“Women’s volleyball has been building momentum for years, and we believe it is one of the most compelling growth stories in sports today,” said Jon Venison, Head of Productions at GSE Worldwide. “When you bring together top programs, a national broadcast window on a major network, a meaningful financial incentive, and a venue like AT&T Stadium, you’re not just hosting an event, you’re helping enhance the future of women’s volleyball. This is exactly the type of owned live events we are focused on building as we continue to expand our platform.”

Women’s college volleyball is experiencing a surge across attendance, viewership, and athlete visibility, creating a clear market opportunity. Spikes Under the Lights is designed to meet that demand at scale, pairing elite competition with meaningful investment and premium presentation.

In addition to the on-court action, fans can expect a fully immersive in-stadium experience, with enhanced production elements, premium broadcast production, and a live entertainment component.

The inaugural lineup brings together powerhouse programs and emerging contenders:

  • Nebraska — a perennial title contender with one of the sport’s most passionate fan bases
  • Penn State — a legacy program with a championship pedigree
  • Florida — a nationally recognized powerhouse
  • SMU — a rising program gaining national momentum

The showcase will highlight some of the sport’s brightest stars, including Nebraska standout Harper Murray, one of the most prominent NIL athletes in women’s college sports, alongside a roster of top-tier talent.

Spikes Under the Lights is designed as an annual tentpole event, an owned and operated franchise that will evolve year over year with a rotating field of top programs, emerging rivalries, and returning stars.

Ticket pre-sales will begin May 4 for AT&T Stadium suite holders, followed by a SeatGeek pre-sale on May 7, with public on-sale beginning May 8. Visit www.spikesunderthelights.com for tickets and additional information.

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