French eSports organization Vitality is in talks to acquire a majority stake in volleyball club Paris Volley, Sheep Esports reports, citing French newspaper Le Parisien.
Negotiations between Vitality and the current owners of Paris Volley took place on August 26. The club’s shareholders have been trying to attract new investors for some time, and it is against this backdrop that the parties began discussing a potential deal.
Paris Volley plays in the top division of French volleyball and has a rich history. Since 2000, the team has become the champion of France nine times. In 2001, the club also made history as the first French team to win the men’s EWC Champions League.
At the same time, the last few years have been difficult for Paris Volley from a financial point of view. In 2018, the club was on the verge of going out of business after being relegated from the top flight, but the worst was averted thanks to new investors.
Financial problems, according to Le Parisien, may still persist. In particular, it is reported that some of Paris Volley’s players have not received their full salaries this season.
The French club and its ties to traditional sports
Sheep Esports also reached out directly to Team Vitality, but the organization had not commented on the potential acquisition of Paris Volley at the time of publication.
If the deal goes through, it would not be Vitality’s first foray outside of esports. The French organization has been developing ties with traditional sports for several years, including through partnerships with football clubs. In 2025, Vitality teamed up with Paris Saint-Germain to compete in eLigue 1 with EA Sports FC. The organization has also previously worked with LOSC Lille and Dijon Football Côte-d’Or.
Vitality’s interactions with athletes from other disciplines are also not new. Canoeists Mathieu Peche and Gauthier Claus, as well as tennis player Thierry Ascione, have joined the organization in the past.
Another important step was a partnership with Stade de France. In 2019, Team Vitality became the first French esports organization to receive the status of a resident club of the stadium and opened offices there for some of its teams.