AVP Beach Volleyball Tour Announces Big Schedule and Purses

Tri Bourne and Chaim Schalk jump for the ball at the net in the semi-final match at the AVP Gold Series Manhattan Beach Open, in Manhattan Beach, Calif., on Aug. 22, 2021. Joe Scarnici/Getty Images

The Association of Volleyball Professionals (AVP), under new ownership, recently released a robust schedule for 2022 that includes 16 events from May through November.

The prize purse has increased and the new structure will allow for the development of teams to grow the game. The AVP is the biggest and longest-running professional beach volleyball tour in the United States.

The three Gold Series events return from 2021. There are five Pro Series events that also return along with new locations; and seven Tour Series events.

The AVP has added a “best-of-the-best” AVP Championships tournament late-season returning to Phoenix for the first time since 2009.

All participants will have more opportunities to earn larger prize money and tour points, compared to recent history due to new ownership by Bally’s Corporation; announced in July 2021.

The larger and more abundant purses are expected to grow the sport and the AVP which began in 1983 and is currently headquartered in Newport Beach, California.

The AVP began its tour in 1985 following a dispute with a promoter at the 1984 World Championships in Redondo Beach, California. That tour included eight U.S. events with prize money totaling $275,000.

By 1993, the AVP tour had grown tremendously to a total prize money of $3.7 million through nationally broadcasted television agreements. Meanwhile, attendance at events climbed to over 600,000.

At that time, the AVP began organizing its women’s division, thus competing with the primary women’s tour, Women’s Professional Volleyball Association (WPVA) which launched in 1986.

Olympic Beach Volleyball debuted at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, but an agreement between AVP and the international governing body, Federation Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB), had to be reached. There currently remains displeasure regarding Olympic qualifying for Americans as they are forced to play in events overseas.

Beach volleyball popularity declined as television coverage and sponsorship decreased.

However, it has regained momentum with the addition of NCAA Beach Volleyball for women in 2016; and has been dominated by USC with three championships, and UCLA with championships in 2018 and 2019.

Taryn Kloth spikes the ball against Alix Klineman during the AVP Gold Series Chicago Open at the Oak Street Beach, in Chicago, Illinois, on Sept. 5, 2021. Quinn Harris/Getty Images

The AVP Pro Series kicks off the season with five stops with prize money totaling $125,000. It introduces a new qualifying system to the AVP which includes off-site 16-team qualifier tournaments.

• Austin:  May 6–8,
• New Orleans:  May 27–29,
• Hermosa Beach:  July 29–31
• Fort Lauderdale:  July 29–31
• Atlantic City:  Sept. 16–18

The AVP Tour Series consists of seven events with prize purses of $50,000, offering less experienced and mid-ranked players the opportunity to break into the Pro Series.

• Muskegon: June 11–12
• Denver:  July 2–3
• Waupaca:  July 7–8
• Atlantic City:  July 22–23
• Virginia Beach:  Aug. 27–28
• Huntington Beach:  Nov. 12–13
• Clearwater:  Nov. 19–20

The AVP Gold Series will consist of three events with prize purses totaling $300,000. The top two from each gender to advance to the Phoenix Championship, alongside two potential wild cards.

The Manhattan Beach Open, aka “The Granddaddy of them All,” as usual will be the biggest draw of all 16 events, with a 32-team Main Draw, and a 96-team qualifier per gender.

• Atlanta:  Aug. 5–7
• Manhattan Beach:  Aug. 19–21
• Chicago:  Sept. 2–4
• 2022 Phoenix Championship:  Sept. 23-24