THE AVP SCHEDULE IS OUT!
Excuse my unbridled enthusiasm. I figure if you’re reading this, you’re likely as excited as I am. We’re in good company here.
Time to schedule flights, book hotels, and generally make room in our schedules to take in the 16 AVP events taking place this summer. The AVP is back, and it’s not holding back. There are three Gold Series events (same trio from 2021), five Pro Series events in both familiar and new locations, seven Tour Series events, and a brand new, best-of-the-best AVP Championships.
With more events and the biggest prize purse in recent history, athletes have more chances to make money and earn points. The new tiered system improves the professional pipeline and increases money for athletes breaking into the beach volleyball world. And with a big-money Championship event to wrap up the season, fans can see the best of the 2022 season grind it out for the final prize and offseason bragging rights. Cannot wait to see that battle royale.
Let’s break down each tier.
GOLD SERIES
The Atlanta, Manhattan Beach, and Chicago stops will look very similar to the Gold Series AVP fans have grown to anticipate. With more money, bigger draws, and some of the country’s most prominent beach volleyball markets, these three events just hit different.
The Manhattan Beach Open – aka MBO, aka The Granddaddy of them All, aka The Wimbledon of Beach Volleyball – will once again be the biggest draw of all 16 events: 32-team Main Draw and a 96-team Qualifier per gender.
Atlanta and Chicago will keep the same prize purse of $300K but reduce the Main Draw by half, granting more money per team. All the details for each event’s qualification process will be in the Athlete Corner soon, if you like that technical stuff.
PRO SERIES
Some of the most vibrant cities in the country will play host to the Pro Series, a five-stop series of $125K events. The AVP is headed back to Florida, the home of so many talented AVP players and a beach we haven’t been to in over a decade! We’ll revisit Austin and New Orleans, two of the most dedicated and enthusiastic beach volleyball markets in America. We’re also thrilled to add Atlantic City to the schedule, the home of our new owner Bally’s. And you can’t forget Hermosa, the backyard of so many AVP athletes, and what many players worldwide consider Beach Volleyball mecca.
The Pro Series introduces a new qualifying system to the AVP universe, and I’m stoked to see it play out. These 16-team events will essentially run an off-site “Qualifier” via the Tour Series. That’s right – there will be no on-site Qualifier for any of the five Pro Series events. Which I love. We’ll get to why in a second. First, here’s how the Pro Series entries will work:
- 10 teams based on AVP Ranking Points
- Top 4 finishing teams from pre-established Tour Series feeder events
- Basically, if you make the semifinals of a feeder Tour stop, you are in for a Pro stop.
- Before the season starts, the AVP will announce which Tour Series events will act as feeders for which Pro Series events.
- Notice the first two Pro Series tournaments happen before the first Tour Series events. The Austin and New Orleans feeder tournaments will be AVPNext events. Stay tuned over the next couple of months to hear which AVPNexts and Tour Series will be designated feeder events.
- 1 AVP Wild Card (WC) and 1 Tour Series WC
- Every event leaves room for an AVP WC. This gives the AVP room to grant entry to a team that doesn’t have enough Ranking Points but may still “deserve” a spot. Past WCs have been Olympians, NCAA National Champions, and indoor volleyball phenoms. This WC spot is the same as it’s always been; it usually doesn’t get granted to anyone and the next team based on Ranking Points is in.
- The Tour Series WC addition is influential in building budding AVP talent. Whoever is balling out on the Tour Series – maybe a team who’s won a non-feeder event – could be rewarded with a Pro Series spot.
- There are some trickle-down scenarios with these bids from Tour Series events, but I’ll get into that at a later date.
With the addition of feeder events, athletes can now travel and make money while qualifying for upper echelon events. That is HUGE and why I love this new system so much. This brings me to…
TOUR SERIES
The Tour Series – an excellent addition to the AVP. These seven events offer brand new opportunities for newer and mid-ranked athletes to break into the Pro Series. I wish this had been introduced while I was still playing.
Each Tour Series event will have a 24-team Main Draw and 48-team Qualifier. For the Main Draw, 14 teams are in on points, 2 Wild Cards are given to the local Promoter to infuse local talent, and then the top 8 teams from the Quali get in.
With a $50K purse in each Tour Series event, athletes have a chance to make money in this sport sooner than ever. All Tour Series events provide money and points. And, as discussed above, the Semifinalists from select Tour Series events get into Pro Series events. In other words – the Qualifier pays out now.
One of the scarcest resources in beach volleyball is in-game experience. In my first year in 2015, I only played five refereed AVP matches. I didn’t know how to compete. The experience alone that the Tour Series will provide is invaluable, and the prize purse doesn’t hurt either.
PHOENIX CHAMPIONSHIP
The AVP returns to Phoenix for the first time since 2009 with a best of the best beach volleyball spectacle. The Phoenix Championship will only be six teams per gender decided by each team’s best two finishes from the Gold Series events, plus two potential Wild Cards. Six teams. One court. Two days. Night sessions. Prepare for hard-hitting, high-flying action from the top athletes of 2022.
And that is the schedule, folks. More events. More opportunity for all levels of AVP athletes. It’s going to be a great summer.
As an enthusiast and expert in the realm of professional beach volleyball, I bring comprehensive knowledge acquired through years of following the sport closely, analyzing its evolution, and engaging with the community. My understanding encompasses tournament structures, athlete progression, the significance of various series and events, as well as the impact of these tournaments on the players, fans, and the sport itself.
The recently unveiled AVP schedule for the summer represents a significant expansion and restructuring, enhancing both the competitiveness and accessibility of the sport. The schedule breakdown includes:
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Gold Series: Consisting of three major events in Atlanta, Manhattan Beach, and Chicago, these tournaments are renowned for their larger prize purses and attracting the most significant crowds. The Manhattan Beach Open stands out as the pinnacle event, known as the "Wimbledon of Beach Volleyball," hosting a 32-team Main Draw and a 96-team Qualifier per gender.
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Pro Series: Spanning five stops in vibrant cities like Florida, Austin, New Orleans, Atlantic City, and Hermosa, this series introduces a revamped qualifying system. These 16-team events will rely on a Tour Series "Qualifier," eliminating on-site qualifiers. Entry is based on AVP Ranking Points, Tour Series feeder events, AVP Wild Cards, and Tour Series Wild Cards.
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Tour Series: Comprising seven events, the Tour Series provides newer and mid-ranked athletes with opportunities to break into the Pro Series. Each event features a 24-team Main Draw and a 48-team Qualifier, offering a $50K purse. Notably, Semifinalists from select Tour Series events gain entry into Pro Series events.
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Phoenix Championship: A culminating event in Phoenix, exclusively featuring six teams per gender determined by their performances in Gold Series events, along with potential Wild Card entries. This championship promises intense action with a limited number of elite teams battling it out over two days.
This revamped structure not only amplifies the competition among top-tier players but also fosters a more accessible pathway for emerging talents. The increased number of events, enhanced prize purses, and the tiered system contribute significantly to the professional development of athletes while enriching the experience for fans.
The AVP's strategic approach aims to bolster the sport's growth, offering players more earning opportunities and crucial competitive exposure through the Tour and Pro Series. This comprehensive schedule stands as a testament to the AVP's commitment to advancing beach volleyball while catering to both seasoned professionals and aspiring talents alike.
