Rakuten companies to support environmental efforts in four local communities on AVP tour
COSTA MESA, Calif. (July 15, 2015) – The Association of Volleyball Professionals (AVP), the premiere professional beach volleyball tour in the U.S., today announced a major new collaboration with leading Japanese internet services company, Rakuten, Inc., and its subsidiary credit card company, Rakuten Card. As part of this collaboration, Rakuten Card will sponsor the inaugural Rakuten Card Cup within the 2015 AVP Tour.
Rakuten and Rakuten Card will be featured in on-site tournament advertising and on national television, and Rakuten will support the AVP to implement grassroots efforts to address environmental issues in four of the remaining cities where the AVP will hold tournaments this summer.
As part of the agreement, Japanese beach volleyball star Koichi Nishimura will be featured at AVP events throughout the 2015 season playing in the Rakuten Card Cup, a series of exhibition matches alongside American players, while also interacting with fans and serving as a Japanese goodwill ambassador for the sport of beach volleyball. Additionally, Rakuten Card will offer a special monetary bonus on top of the traditional winner’s check to both the winning men’s and women’s teams at the season-ending AVP Championships at Huntington Beach.
“We are happy to be able to announce this exciting new collaboration with a major global brand,” said Donald Sun, the AVP’s Managing Partner. “Rakuten has made significant investments in the U.S. in recent years and also has a history of sports involvement with their ownership of the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles, the 2013 champions of the Japanese Nippon Professional Baseball League, so coming on board with the AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour is a natural fit. We appreciate their support and look forward to working with them to make a positive impact in the communities where we compete across the country.”
“Rakuten is passionate about sports and about contributing to local communities. This collaboration with the AVP is a great way for Rakuten to support an exciting sport and encourage local fans, players and our employees to be active in their own communities,” said Mie Kurosaka, Rakuten’s executive officer responsible for Corporate Social Responsibility.
Rakuten, Rakuten Card and the AVP will activate social responsibility efforts in four AVP Tour cities this season – New York (July 16-19), Chicago (August 27-30), Cincinnati (September 3-6) and Huntington Beach, Calif. (September 10-13). In each of those cities, the companies will design a campaign to address environmental issues specific to the area and will recruit players, staff, fans and other volunteers to participate in projects such as beach cleanups, park beautifications and more.
The AVP’s 2015 schedule includes seven tournaments in different regions of the U.S., from New York to Southern California. In its fourth year under the guidance of AVP Managing Partner Donald Sun, who purchased the tour in 2012, the AVP has expanded its property to include tour stops this season in New Orleans (May 21-24), New York (July 16-19), Seattle (Aug. 6-9), Manhattan Beach, Calif. (Aug. 13-16); Chicago (Aug. 27-30); Cincinnati (Sept. 3-6); and Huntington Beach, Calif. (Sept. 10-13). The AVP also hosted and operated an Olympic qualifying tournament on the FIVB World Tour in St. Petersburg, Fla. in June.
The AVP is the exclusive domestic beach volleyball home of the nation’s top athletes, including Olympic gold medalists Kerri Walsh-Jennings (2004, 2008, 2012), Todd Rogers (2008) and Phil Dalhausser (2008); Olympic silver medalists April Ross (2012) and Jen Kessy (2012); two-time Olympians Jake Gibb (2008, 2012) and Sean Rosenthal (2008, 2012); and Olympian Nicole Branagh (2008).
About the AVP
Established in 1983, the AVP (Association of Volleyball Professionals) produces, markets and distributes volleyball events worldwide, including the popular AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour. While promoting family-oriented events and supporting a healthy lifestyle, the AVP is best known for its world-class athletes, who have won numerous Gold, Silver and Bronze medals in the Olympic games. The AVP headquarters are in Costa Mesa, California, USA. For more information, visit www.AVP.com
About Rakuten, Inc.
Rakuten, Inc. (TOKYO: 4755) is one of the world’s leading Internet companies, offering a wide variety of services for consumers and businesses with a focus on e-commerce, finance, and digital content. Since 2012, Rakuten has been ranked among the world’s ‘Top 20 Most Innovative Companies’ in Forbes magazine’s annual list. Rakuten is expanding worldwide and currently operates throughout Asia, Europe, the Americas and Oceania. Founded in 1997, Rakuten is headquartered in Tokyo, with nearly 12,000 employees worldwide.
About Rakuten Card
Rakuten Card Co., Ltd. is a credit card company that is growing rapidly in Japan. It was established in December 2001, and has been issuing the Rakuten Group credit card “Rakuten Card” since July 2005. The successful business model used for Rakuten Card in Japan is also being deployed overseas. In April 2014 the “Rakuten Rewards MasterCard®” was launched in the U.S. in affiliation with First Bankcard®, a leader in the U.S. credit card partnership arena and a division of First National Bank of Omaha, and “Rakuten.com,” our e-commerce arm in the U.S. In January 2015, an original credit card for the Taiwanese market called “Taiwan Rakuten Card” was also launched.
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