Los Angeles does not just need more gyms or more dating apps. It needs places to gather, move, compete, laugh, and belong through the power of sport.
Last night at Santa Monica Brew Works Volo Sports launched its Los Angeles platform, marking the company’s expansion following its acquisition of Zog Sports and signaling a new era for adult recreational sports in the region.
With DJs, influencers, tailgate style activations, pop a shot competitions, custom jersey stations, and a packed Lakers versus Clippers watch party, the event felt less like a corporate launch and more like a community block party built around motion and connection. The celebration followed the company’s acquisition of Zog Sports and marked Volo’s largest West Coast market expansion.
Volo Sports saw a growing trend that cities need more spaces for real world connection, physical movement, and social belonging.
"This is intramurals for adults with a social part after, built around playing sports," said Giovanni Marcantoni, Founder & CEO Volo Sports. "It's a full-circle community, and we've set up everything from industry leagues to corporate B2B events. We want to be a great trusted partner of the community."
Volo Sports, the largest community focused adult recreational sports platform, is building what leadership describes as a full-circle community model; connecting youth development, adult leagues, post game social programming, corporate engagement, and partnerships with local organizations and public institutions.
In Los Angeles, Volo is targeting more than 15,000 adult league participants in the near term, with a long range vision of surpassing 100,000 active adult members across the region. At the same time, the company is launching an ambitious youth initiative aimed at enrolling more than 10,000 children into free or low cost sports programming.
To achieve this, Volo plans to partner directly with trusted local organizations including the Boys and Girls Club, YMCA, and school districts, building after school leagues, weekend programs, and summer sports pipelines that prioritize access, consistency, and mentorship. The goal is not only participation, but long term habit building around movement, teamwork, and confidence.
“We want kids to grow up seeing sports as part of daily life, not as something reserved for families with resources,” said Marcantoni. “This is about equity of access and building healthier communities from the ground up.”
Adult leagues will include kickball, volleyball, soccer, softball, and additional recreational formats designed to lower intimidation and increase participation. Volo is also exploring creative league formats that emphasize social play, including a potential skee ball league, blending competition with community building.
The company’s growth reflects a broader cultural shift. Adults are increasingly seeking healthier alternatives to gym only routines and screen driven social platforms. Volo’s intermodal model invites participants to play, stay, socialize, and build recurring relationships through movement.
Games turn into gatherings. Teams turn into friend groups. Venues turn into neighborhood anchors.
For cities like Santa Monica, the impact extends beyond recreation. Partnerships with local businesses such as Santa Monica Brew Works generate consistent foot traffic, increased neighborhood spending, and repeat activation. Fields, gyms, and community spaces become hubs of health, commerce, and connection.
City leaders have taken notice viewing Volo as both a public wellness partner and an economic driver that supports small businesses while activating underutilized public infrastructure.
DJ Spider, whose career includes performances at the Golden Globes, Oscars, Grammys, Super Bowl events, and international tours, shared that his roots remain deeply tied to Santa Monica.
A Santa Monica native, Spider attended Lincoln Middle School and Santa Monica High School and now raises his own son in the local school system and knows first-hand the power of sports and soccer in his son's life. A lifelong soccer fan and advocate for active lifestyles, he described the Volo launch as personal.
“This is needed more than ever,” Spider said. “With everything happening in this city and everything coming up on the global stage, we need spaces where people can move, connect, and be together in real life. I want to do more in my community.”
After recently playing a DJ set on Third Street Promenade following Travis Barker’s 5K, Spider sees a growing movement toward wellness driven cultural programming that blends music, fitness, and public space activation. Looking ahead to the FIFA World Cup and the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games, he expressed interest in curating global DJ collaborations tied to major sporting moments, transforming Santa Monica’s public spaces into cultural stages that celebrate movement, diversity, and international connection.
Beyond public leagues, Volo is expanding into corporate and industry focused programming. Customized leagues and team building events offer companies a healthier way to engage employees while supporting local venues and sports infrastructure. The company is also introducing low cost or free coaching resources to ensure skill development remains inclusive rather than exclusive.
Volo’s leadership has made clear that Los Angeles is not simply another market, but a flagship city.
The long term vision includes over 100,000 adult participants, more than 10,000 youth athletes, partnerships with schools and community organizations, and a citywide network of leagues that treat play as essential civic infrastructure.
Volo is betting on something timeless; people still want to show up, move together, belong in community, and connected through the power of sport.