Los Angeles Thunder is a new Major League Volleyball franchise built for a 2027 debut across Southern California. The club unveiled its Thunder name and identity in October 2026 and quickly followed with a two-venue home plan: matches will be split between Crypto.com Arena in downtown Los Angeles and Honda Center in Anaheim. That structure deliberately gives the team access to both Los Angeles and Orange County volleyball communities. Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong is the majority owner, with Ben Priest serving as governor and managing partner, while Alisha Childress was selected as the franchise’s first head coach and head of competition.
Thunder begins in a market where volleyball already has exceptional depth, from youth clubs and college programs to beach culture and the sport’s growing Olympic visibility ahead of LA28. The franchise therefore does not need to create interest in volleyball from nothing; it needs to convert that interest into repeat professional attendance and a coherent club identity across a very large metropolitan region. Playing in two major arenas adds scale but also makes community-building more complex. The clean historical starting point is 2027: Los Angeles Thunder is an expansion organization with its own ownership, coach and brand, not a continuation of earlier Southern California professional teams.
Club Information
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Official Club Name | Los Angeles Thunder |
| City / Home Base | Los Angeles / Southern California |
| Country | United States |
| Home Arenas | Crypto.com Arena; Honda Center |
| Current League | Major League Volleyball (MLV) |
| Current Season / Cycle | 2027 |
| Head Coach | Alisha Childress |
| Majority Owner | Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong |
| Official Team Page | Los Angeles Thunder |