Two former NFL players are taking over a pro volleyball team in Salt Lake City.

League One Volleyball (LOVB) Salt Lake is being acquired by Synergy Sports Capital, a $150 million private-equity fund created by former NFL players Reggie Bush and Terrence Murphy Sr.

LOVB Pro is the professional league of the League One Volleyball club system, an integrated community that connects youth clubs, collegiate recruiting pathways and — since 2025 — professional competition under a single network.

“When opportunity presented itself to become the franchise owner of the Salt Lake team, I started studying the community and really started studying who the key players [on the team] were,” Murphy said.

Murphy also connected with Utah Jazz and Mammoth owner Ryan Smith at a professional athlete conference.

“I saw what Ryan Smith is doing,” Murphy Sr. said. “He and I connected in short order.”

Then Murphy just realized, “Salt Lake’s an up-and-coming area for sports,” he said.

Murphy has a daughter playing club volleyball in Houston. His family has attended packed tournaments where NBA stars LeBron James and Steph Curry have sat on the sidelines.

“Volleyball is the fastest growing women’s sport ages 18 and under in the United States,” Murphy said. “All you have to do is go to a volleyball tournament and see.

“My wife went to the one in Kansas City ... and she was like, ‘Oh, LeBron is here with his daughter, and Steph Curry is here with his daughter.’”

Murphy is a part-time resident Utah, spending some of his time in Park City. He’s originally from Tyler, Texas, and later played for Texas A&M in college.

Since acquiring LOVB Salt Lake, Murphy said he’s already in pursuit of a new “mixed-use project or a new place” for his franchise to play. He hopes to meet with the Salt Lake City Council to discuss facility plans in the near future.

“We’re looking to connect with the city,” Murphy said. “It’s going to be a state-wide brand. That’s our ultimate goal.”

Murphy said he thinks that with his purchase of LOVB Salt Lake, he can turn the franchise into the next popular professional sports brand in the state.

“It fits the thesis,” Murphy said. “When I’m studying these leagues — besides the NWSL [National Women’s Soccer League] and the WNBA [Women’s National Basketball Association] — LOVB volleyball has emerged in that top three conversation for women’s sports."