So we talked about the Tiers – aka the different levels of beach volleyball athletes. But how does the new AVP Schedule format benefit those Tiers?
I will likely carry on about this marriage ad nauseam throughout the summer, but I want to touch on it here first. The three AVP Series – Gold, Pro, and Tour – have a little something for every level of AVP athlete.
The Gold and Pro Series are where Tiers 1 and 2 shine. Here, 1 and 2 make big money playing the best teams on Tour in all their favorite cities. Being auto-entry into Gold Series events is enviable. Do well, and you’re at the front of the pack, sitting pretty with lots of money and a solid, long-term spot in the Main Draw.
Tiers 3 and 4 also have a chance for glory at the Gold Series. The Manhattan Beach Open will have an on-site Qualifier, offering the same gateway as years past. Qualifying for the MBO is so sweet; going deep in the tournament is about the best feeling in the world. The other two Gold Series – Atlanta and Chicago – will have feeder events to qualify teams into the tournament. Will get into why I love that later.
Tiers 1 and 2 also have the AVP Championships in Phoenix. This ultra-exclusive six-team event provides yet another large payout tournament for the best of the best. Phoenix raises the stakes of the Gold Series events even higher. The Championships will be decided by each team’s best two of three Gold Series finishes.
Of course, this means a Tier 3 or 4 team can also make the Championships if they ball out this season. No one saw Taryn and Kristen coming last summer; who from Tier 3 or 4 will reveal themselves in 2022?
Speaking of newbies – 2022 offers a lower barrier to entry than any previous season. The up-and-comers in pro beach volleyball are sitting pretty.
Clinching a spot in the Atlanta and Chicago Gold Series plus all five Pro Series events will happen at a separate Tour Series or AVPNext event. Though any athlete can play in these events, I predict only a handful of Tiers 1 and 2 athletes will attend due to time constraints with other tournaments and lower prize purse. So while they have the opportunity to play in all 16 events, not everyone will take it.
This, and the Tour Series in general, is beneficial for Tiers 3 and 4 for so many reasons.
- Full-blown tournaments instead of Qualifiers mean more games. With a double-elim format that plays through the Finals, athletes have ample competition opportunities. The top four teams are awarded a Main Draw spot in a standard on-site Qualifier. In these feeder events, those four lucky teams get to keep playing after they’ve secured a spot. More matches and a chance to learn how to win.
- More money! Enough said.
- 24-team draws mean more people get to play.
- The pool of athletes will generally be made up of lower-tiered athletes, so there’s a better chance of going deep in the tournament. More success provides money and experience and makes traveling all over the country for beach volleyball even more worth it.
- The teams who secure a Main Draw spot through feeder events will be fresher for the big dance. So often, teams that have to qualify on Thursday and then play Friday are exhausted. They haven’t prepared the same way as Auto-Main Draw athletes because they had to play three matches on Thursday. They also didn’t know they’d make the Main Draw. Now, with an earlier, off-site qualifying process, those up-and-coming players have a better chance to go deep in a big-money AVP. All while earning money and points along the way.
The 16 events divided over 3 separate Series set all Tiers up for success. Whether you’re an AVP Winner looking to notch a few more trophies or you’re a Rookie trying to break into pro beach volleyball – the 2022 AVP Schedule has it all.