The FIVB and AVP have reached an agreement where the AVP will promote a series of ‘major’ FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour events in the USA including a World Tour ‘Grand Slam’ event in 2003, followed by two ‘Grand Slam’ events in 2004, FIVB officials have announced.
The AVP will also promote the 2005 Beach Volleyball World Championships in the USA, which will be the sport’s richest event ever with at least US $800,000 prize money.
The announcement was made in Buenos Aires where the 28th FIVB World Congress will be held from Sept 21-23.
‘This is a landmark agreement involving unprecedented cooperation between FIVB and AVP by bringing Major Olympic Qualifying Events to the US in 2003 and 2004 as well as the World Championships in 2005’, said Dr. Rubén Acosta, FIVB President.
Leonard Armato, AVP President and Commissioner, said he was looking forward to staging top class tournaments that would pay tribute to what has become the fastest growing summer sport.
‘This agreement between FIVB and AVP connects our expanding AVP Tour with the new world order in beach volleyball. Not only will we coordinate a global calendar between the AVP Tour and the FIVB World Tour, but AVP will promote a series of Grand Slam Olympic qualifying events in the USA leading up to the 2004 Olympic Games and following the Olympics, in 2005, the AVP will bring the World Championships back to Los Angeles where it was last held in 1997,’ Armato said.
With this agreement, the AVP has recognized the FIVB as the international governing body for Volleyball and Beach Volleyball and the FIVB has recognized the AVP as the official tour of the USA.
Both organizations agree that AVP players in good standing are eligible to participate in events of either Tour under an orderly system designed to support both the AVP Tour and FIVB World Tour.
The FIVB and AVP Tours will therefore remain ‘open tours’ and both organizations have pledged to respect each other’s activities and will work together to avoid clashes of main events on their calendars.
They will also cooperate to try to enhance television exposure in the USA. The FIVB and Mr. Armato are also discussing the possibility of staging additional events in the USA, such as charity events, Junior World Championships and others.
‘Beach Volleyball has come of age and is enjoying a boom in popularity in many countries. We look forward to working closely with the AVP to promote major events in the USA,’ said Angelo Squeo, FIVB Beach Volleyball Coordinator. Squeo said the agreement would open tremendous opportunities for athletes, sponsors, media and broadcasters.
Beach Volleyball was born on the beaches of California in the late 1920’s and has been a full Olympic discipline since 1996.
For further information please contact:
Marcia Hill
FIVB
Communications Director
T: +41 21 345 3535
F: +41 21 345 3545
E: press@fivb.org
W: www.fivb.org