People have been playing volleyball on the beach for decades. The sand provides a comfortable, forgiving surface that players of all levels can enjoy. The professional game also found its way onto the beach, which led to the creation of the AVP---the Association of Volleyball Professionals.
History
While the first two-man beach volleyball game occurred in Santa Monica, California, in the 1930s, according to the Beach Volleyball Database, it wasn't until July 1983 that the Association of Volleyball Professionals was formed to protect players' interests and promote the sport to a wider audience. By 1985 the tour had events in eight states ranging from Massachusetts to Hawaii. Women's events were added to the AVP schedule in 1993, broadening the scope and appeal of the tour.
Top Players
As chronicled on the Beach Volleyball Database, the AVP has showcased one exciting player after another. The 1980s were dominated by the team of Sinjin Smith and Randy Stoklos. They were followed by Karch Kiraly and Kent Steffes---gold medalists at the first Olympic beach volleyball competition in 1996---who ruled the sand in the '90s. On the women's side, Holly McPeak and Elaine Youngs made their mark, followed quickly by Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh---the most successful team in beach volleyball history.
Financial Trouble
An "L.A. Times" article in 2010 described the culmination of financial struggles for the AVP, leading to the cancellation of the remainder of the season in August that year. Many of the AVP players had little choice but to look for opportunities elsewhere---including playing overseas with the Federation Internationale de Volleyball. Leonard Armato, a former player, said the AVP's problems arose from the fact that beach volleyball was not a "must-have" sport in the United States.
The AVP Today
The AVP, despite its shutdown in 2010, appears to still have hope of returning. On its website, the league describes plans to reinvent itself in 2011 with plans for a new operating model that includes a season-ending event to offer the largest purse in the sport. It remains to be seen whether this new incarnation, with its ambitious branding campaign, will take hold and return the AVP to the list of active professional volleyball organizations around the world.
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