By Lila Brown for The LA Sentinel
Originally published Oct. 1, 2026
Issa Rae and Savannah James stood among the investors at Intuit Dome on Sept. 25 as Los Angeles’ new professional women’s volleyball team unveiled its name: the Los Angeles Orbit.
Their presence at the announcement put two Black women at the center of a growing conversation about who helps build, finance and shape women’s sports. Rae, an actor and producer, and James, an entrepreneur, joined fellow investor Alexis Ohanian, league officials, players and supporters for the first public look at the team’s name, logo and visual identity.
The launch also highlighted Black women in leadership beyond the ownership group. LOVB Commissioner Sandra Idehen and Orbit President Ana Mendy were among the executives introducing the club as it prepares for its inaugural season at Intuit Dome.
“Everything we are building starts with her,” Mendy said in a statement. “The athlete on the court, the girl watching from the stands, the teammate beside her and every fan who believes in this team.”
The team says its name reflects the pull that brings athletes, fans and communities together. Its slogan, “Everything Revolves Around Her,” places women and girls at the center of that vision.
For Black women seeking a place in the business of sports, the launch offered a visible example of roles that extend beyond competition and fandom. Investors and executives make decisions about a team’s identity, partnerships and connection to its community. Rae and James’ involvement shows Black women participating in those decisions as professional volleyball expands in Los Angeles.
The Orbit is part of League One Volleyball, known as LOVB, which connects youth clubs with a professional league. Players attending the unveiling included Carli Lloyd, Kotoe Inoue, Annie Drews Schumacher, Madi Kingdon Rishel and Kathryn Boden. Volleyball great Misty May-Treanor and activist Malala Yousafzai also attended.
“Los Angeles is a place where sports, culture, technology and entertainment come together, and that makes it an incredible place to build something new in women’s sports,” Ohanian said in a statement.
The club announced Yaamava’ Resort & Casino at San Manuel as its first founding partner. Under an initiative called Aces Up, Yaamava’ will donate $1,000 for every ace the Orbit records at home to support the team’s community work in Los Angeles. The club has not yet detailed which organizations will receive that support.
Rae narrated the team’s launch video, which featured a cameo by Zhuri James, Savannah James’ daughter. The pairing carried the event’s message across generations: Women can help create the teams younger girls grow up watching.
The Orbit is set to make its debut at Intuit Dome during LOVB’s third professional season. Its launch gives Los Angeles another women’s sports franchise — and gives aspiring Black women investors and executives a new example of what leadership in that industry can look like.