Well, #AVPFamily, there are only two more events left in the 2019 season and that bums us out. But, what doesn’t bum us out? We still have two more events and one is going down this weekend 😝 It’s time for the AVP Gold Series, Championships in Chicago! Along with the elevated prize purse of $300K, the athletes will be competing for a bid to the Hawaii Open (the final event of the 2019 season). Six entries into the Hawaii Main Draw will be given based on the best 2 out of 3 Gold Series team finishes, so you can bet these athletes will be battling even harder to make sure this Chicago tournament isn’t their last of the season.
Why ‘The Championships?’
Look, we get it. The name of the tournament can be confusing. Yes, it is officially called the AVP Gold Series, Championships. No, this tournament format isn’t different than other events this year. Yes, it’s a 24-team Main Draw, double elimination structure. No, there is no season-long qualification process/race to make this a pinnacle event. We call it The Championships because it’s a big event, the best talent always comes out to compete, and the environment & fans are unlike any other event on tour. This event is high-energy and dramatic, and we needed a name that reflected that. On the PGA, there is an event called The PGA Championships and it isn’t the “championships.” See, it’s a thing. Just roll with it.
The Field Is Stacked
Coming off a record-breaking Manhattan Beach Open, we cannot imagine The Championships being any better. But, we think it can. This weekend, we are not conflicting with any international events so all of our AVP favorites will be back on US soil competing for you. Yup, that means Jake Gibb & Taylor Crabb will be there. Plus, young-guns Sarah Sponcil & Kelly Claes will be back in the mix too. Get the full Entry List here.
Be Prepared For Timely Announcements
The AVP Gold Series, Championships is quite the challenge for the AVP staff. Meaning, the logistics around running a beach volleyball festival on Oak Street Beach. As many Chicago residents know, Lake Michigan has record-high water levels this summer. Because of that, we have lost a significant amount of beach. And without the physical space on the beach, we run into some issues for building a Stadium and outer courts. In addition to the changing water levels and questionable amount of usable beach, we are in the Midwest where the weather always needs to be considered. Last year, we had a couple thunderstorms that caused tournament delays and this year may be no different. Keeping all this in mind, we will be using AVP Beach Twitter as the official platform for event announcements and updates as it pertains to tournament schedule, weather delays, etc. Along with important announcements from our end, our team will be responding to your comments and questions in a timely manner so don’t hesitate to tweet at us.
Parking
There is no parking at this event. Did you hear what we said earlier? We barely have enough beach for the event so we forsure don’t have room for parking.
But, Wait There’s More…
Along with the best athletes in the world competing right in front of you, the live beats from DJ Roueche, the on-court shenanigans with Broadcast Mark, a bumping Stella Rosa Wine Garden & Kona Oasis Beer Deck, deliciously good food trucks, we have a few other events to keep you occupied 😉
- Yoga on the Beach, Friday morning from 5:30 to 6:15 am, RSVP now for $15
- AVP Player Party with Chicago Sport and Social Club at Spin, Saturday night from 9pm to midnight. Tickets are $30 but that includes an open bar and unlimited ping pong games.
Let’s get after it this Labor Day Weekend and we’ll see you on the sand!