Taking Sand by Storm
The snow, it seems, was only the tip of the iceberg as far as beach volleyball was concerned.
Assn. of Volleyball Professionals players Misty May and Kerri Walsh were shown playing volleyball in the snow for a television commercial that made its debut during the Super Bowl and continues to air four months later.
But the sport has gathered so much steam over the last few years that AVP Commissioner Leonard Armato expects to see an increasing number of players featured in commercials, magazine articles and on television talk shows in the coming months.
It’s all part of a rejuvenated AVP Tour, which visits Huntington Beach this weekend for the fourth tournament of the 2004 season with a swagger that has been missing since the tour filed for bankruptcy protection in 1998.
On the court, May and Walsh have continued to dominate the women’s side with three victories in three events, while the men’s side has shown parity. A different team has won each event, and only Todd Rogers and Sean Scott have made a final more than once. Tour veteran Karch Kiraly, a crowd favorite, has played well, teaming with Mike Lambert to finish second last month in Tempe, Ariz.
The buzz off the court, however, is what has Armato and many of the players in an optimistic frame of mind as the tour arrives in Southern California, the birthplace of beach volleyball and the blueprint for the lifestyle associated with the tour.
“We have been seeing an exponential growth in the marketing of the AVP, the sport of beach volleyball, our players and the Southern California lifestyle,” Armato said. “It’s all catching fire quite rapidly and we’re gaining legitimacy as a true competitive sport and as an organization as a whole.”
Some may say Armato is just promoting his tour, but he has evidence to back up his claim. The number of tournaments has grown from 10 last year to 12 this year. The prize money offered has increased nearly 25% to $1.6 million and for the first time, there will be live television coverage of every event.
Next year, 14 tournaments and $3 million in prize money are promised.
“Usually it’s one step forward and two steps back, so this is good,” said Eric Fonoimoana, winner of the 2000 Olympic gold medal. “I haven’t seen this happen in, like, six years, and I’ve been through the good and the bad so I should know.”
Fox Sports or NBC will carry live coverage of the finals for every tournament this year. Major sponsors such as Nissan, Pepsi, Bud Light, Wilson and Gatorade are signed through at least 2005.
Another reason for optimism is that this is an Olympic year. In the past, that wasn’t always a good thing because the AVP has little to do with the Olympic qualifying process.
Armato, who took over in 2001, has worked to reduce scheduling conflicts with the international tour (the FIVB), but AVP tournaments at Huntington Beach, Manhattan Beach and San Diego may lose players. Still, in the past, players were penalized for missing AVP tournaments. This year, Armato has allowed players to miss events. He expects that beach volleyball will get prime-time coverage during the Olympics and wants the top AVP players to be part of that.
“That only increases our exposure,” he said. “And if the sport gets discovered by the public, we have the opportunity to convert them to fans. That can only be good for us.”
Walsh and May played exclusively on the FIVB in 2002 because they wanted to pursue the Olympics. The new policy allowed the Californians to play on their home sand last year and they will split time between the tours this year. They are ranked No. 1 in the world and are the favorites for gold in Athens.
“It’s very important that we play both tours,” Walsh said. “We need to prepare for the Olympics by playing internationally. The ball is different, the net is different, and the teams play different styles. At the same time, we want to support our home tour.”
It’s unlikely there will be a mad dash to the FIVB for Olympic qualifying points. The U.S. can send only two men’s and two women’s teams to Athens.
The tournaments that conflict with Olympic qualifying should still have plenty of star power. Kiraly, the elder statesman of pro beach volleyball players at 43, says he will continue to play as long as he’s competitive.
He has a new partner this year in Lambert, who was injured last year but had six top-10 finishes in seven events in 2002. Jose Loiola, a 23-time winner from 1997 to 2000, also has returned after spending most of the last two years on the FIVB.
On the women’s side, the story will be whether May and Walsh can remain undefeated. They have won 11 consecutive AVP events.
“I’m pretty confident in what’s going on with this tour,” said Stein Metzger, who with partner Dax Holdren is battling for one of the Olympic spots. “It’s not a stagnant, secure period here, either. We’re growing. We’re moving forward. There’s a lot of reason for optimism.”
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The Facts
* What: Huntington Beach Open.
* Where: Huntington Beach Pier.
* Main draw: Saturday and Sunday.
* 2003 men’s champions: Karch Kiraly and Brent Doble.
* 2003 women’s champions: Misty May and Kerri Walsh.
* Men’s teams to watch: Dain Blanton and Jeff Nygaard; Adam Jewell and Jake Gibb; George Roumain and Jason Ring; Casey Jennings and Matt Fuerbringer; Larry Witt and Sean Rosenthal; Kiraly and Mike Lambert.
* Women’s teams to watch: May and Walsh; Leanne McSorley and Lisa Arce; Carrie Busch and Nancy Mason.
* Noteworthy: This event conflicts with Olympic qualifying events in Serbia and China. Todd Rogers and Sean Scott, the top-ranked men’s team on the AVP tour, are playing in Serbia. Holly McPeak and Elaine Youngs, the No. 2-ranked women, and No. 3 Annett Davis and Jenny Johnson Jordan are playing in China.