• Longest season in more than a decade begins May 6 with AVP Pro Series Austin Open and runs through November 20, with tournaments in 12 states across the country

• AVP to broadcast 44 hours of tournament coverage across FS1, Bally Sports regional networks, and more

• Robust roster of corporate sponsors returns to support the country’s premier professional beach volleyball tour

Fountain Valley, California (May 4, 2022) – The Association of Volleyball Professionals (AVP) is set to serve up its 2022 season beginning May 6, featuring the professional beach volleyball tour’s longest schedule and biggest total prize purse in more than a decade, a broadcast schedule that includes 44 hours of tournament coverage across three television networks and support from a robust roster of corporate sponsors eager to align themselves with the excitement and growth surrounding the AVP.

The AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour season will begin with the AVP Pro Series Austin Open from May 6-8 and run through November 20, totaling 16 tournaments across the United States and offering $2 million in prize money. The number of tournaments and total prize money are both the largest for the AVP since 2009.

The AVP’s newly developed three-tier system includes seven Tour Series events (24-team brackets competing over two days for a $50,000 purse), five Pro Series events (16 teams, three days, $125,000 purse), three Gold Series events (16 or 32 teams, three days, $300,000 purse) and a new two-day, $100,000 Championship event.

Each of the Pro Series and Gold Series events, as well as the Championships, will be televised, with nine tournaments totaling 44 hours of television coverage on FS1, Bally Sports regional sports networks (RSNs) and Tennis Channel. During Pro Series and Gold Series events, all matches from the stadium and one other court will be streamed live on the AVP’s YouTube channel (@avpbeach). Veteran broadcasters Dain Blanton and Camryn Irwin will call all the AVP action.

The complete TV schedule is below, and the full AVP Tour schedule, featuring 16 events from May through November in 12 states across the country, can be found at https://avp.com/events.

“We are excited to get the 2022 schedule underway and look forward to a tremendous season that will highlight some of the most incredible athletes in the world not only at our tournament venues but to audiences nationwide watching on television,” said Al Lau, CEO of the AVP. “Our new broadcast agreements with FS1, Bally Sports and Tennis Channel will expose millions of viewers to the AVP Tour and hopefully create some new fans of professional beach volleyball.

“Beyond that, we’re proud to be able to offer a schedule for our players that features more tournaments and more prize money than have been offered in 13 years. The AVP’s new three-tiered system improves the professional pipeline and increases money for athletes breaking into professional beach volleyball, which supports the long-term growth of the sport.”

Corporate support of the AVP Tour has been exceptionally strong heading into the 2022 season. New and returning partners include: AAA Flag & Banner, Athletic Brewing Company, Corner Bakery, Fabletics, KLĒNSKIN, Kona Brewing Co., KT Tape, Monster Hydro, Skyy Vodka, Teremana Tequila, TNNS, Waiākea Water, Waste Management, WeWork, White Claw and Wilson Sporting Goods.

Bally’s Corporation acquired the AVP in July, less than a year after Bally’s entered into a strategic partnership with Sinclair Broadcast Group.

“The AVP is an attractive property for us and provides a terrific platform for engaging content across our media assets,” said Adi Dhandhania, Chief Operating Officer of North America for Bally’s Interactive. “Beach volleyball is one of the most dynamic and athletic sports out there, with ample opportunities for us to gamify content to drive viewership and engagement. Our first AVP Predictor free to play game is now available on www.ballyplay.com and we are excited to launch additional gamification with the AVP.”

2022 AVP TELEVISION SCHEDULE

About AVP

Powered by the most dynamic and elite athletes in the world, the Association of Volleyball Professionals is the globally recognized premier professional beach volleyball organization and longest-running domestic beach volleyball tour in the United States. Founded in 1983, the AVP has produced some of the world’s most beloved athletes, providing fans with unparalleled access to nail-biting matches on the sand. In 1996, beach volleyball became an official sport at the Olympic Games and the AVP proudly serves as the home court for Team USA’s Olympians.

Headquartered in Southern California, the AVP operates a multi-tiered development system. The decorated AVP Pro Tour is the gold standard in beach volleyball, with over 100 professional athletes competing for top prize money in front of over 120 million fans worldwide.

AVP America spearheads a grassroots movement across the United States to curate thousands of events and matches for fans and players that are second to none. These events across the development pipeline reside within the AVPNext, AVP Grass & AVP Juniors platforms. AVPNext is the official developmental circuit providing athletes the opportunity to develop their skills and earn valuable AVP points to climb the rankings towards becoming a pro. AVP Grass is the premier series of grass volleyball events in the United States, consisting of the most iconic tournaments and elite competition. AVP Juniors strives to have the most comprehensive and recognized junior age group competitions in the country with National culminating events, as well as, regionally supported introductory tournaments.

In an effort to grow the sport and celebrate those who love the game, AVPFirst, a 501(3)c program, is focused on creating healthy lifestyles and a lifelong connection to the sport by offering access to all.

For more information on the Pro Tour, Membership and more, please visit avp.com and follow the AVP on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter: @avpbeach.