Overview
- The franchise announced its name, logo and color palette on Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2026, and confirmed Grand Casino Arena in St. Paul as its home for a January 2027 debut.
- Minnesota Sports & Entertainment and Wild owner Craig Leipold are majority owners, with named minority investors Tim Connelly, Matt Mithun, Cara Mulder, Chuck Runyon and Dave Mortensen.
- The Forge reported initial roster and staff commitments that include Minnesota standouts Stephanie Samedy and Airi Miyabe, coach Pedro Mendes and libero CC McGraw.
- The team will employ 14 full-time and seven seasonal staff, play a 26-game regular season with 13 home matches in St. Paul, and is now taking season-ticket deposits.
- The launch highlights MLV’s move to a 12-team, owner-run model and will compete for local attention with a separate Twin Cities franchise announced by One League Volleyball that will play at the University of Minnesota’s Maturi Pavilion.