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In the world of sports, there are a lot of acronyms and abbreviations that might confuse some players, and volleyball is no exception. If you are curious about this subject, you might be wondering ‘’what does AVP stand for in volleyball?’’.
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What Does AVP Stand For in Volleyball?
In volleyball, AVP is an abbreviation that stands for “Association of Volleyball Professionals.” It was created in 1983 in Newport Beach, California, and is one of the largest and most successful beach volleyball tours in the United States.
This tour has staged amazing matches amongst the strongest volleyball players in the United States. Additionally, it has assisted many players in gaining experience inside of the court and being noticed as great talent prospects.
This is one of the most important aspects of this tour; after all, you don’t have to be a professional to compete in it. This allows candidates to play at a higher level and further develop their techniques by playing against the bests.

AVP History
Volleyball may have been almost a century-old sport, but AVP as an association began in 1983, however, it only allowed men to play; women had to join other tours in order to compete. The first tour was organized to visit eight states and, after all the matches, the winner would be announced.
Although it had a solid start, it didn’t reach its height until 1993, when ten of its games were telecast on NBC Sports and over 600,000 people attended the matches. This was also the year when AVP started organizing games with the WAVP (Women Association of Volleyball Professionals).
Two years after this the AVP started having big financial problems, as well as conflicts with the international volleyball association (the Fédération Internationale de Volleyball).
Bankruptcy and Restructuring
The sponsors left after several disagreements and financial troubles, and the association had to declare bankruptcy in 1998. Three years later Leonard Armato bought the tour and created a new structure that combined professional tours for men and women.
The competition also changed its court and regulations significantly, adopting the FIVB’s smaller court size and rally scoring system. Even after several modifications, it was successful for nine years before declaring bankruptcy again in 2010.
Two years after declaring bankruptcy, the AVP was bought by Donald Sun in 2012 who helped the organization to emerge once more in 2013. Since then, the competition has been successful and has established itself as one of the best beach volleyball tours in the USA.
Best AVP Players
When it comes to the elite volleyball players that have played in this tournament, there are a lot of athletes that stand out from the rest. They are part of the best players in the world and have a big influence on the beach volleyball community.
The following players have had the greatest success on the AVP tour.

- Phil Dalhausser. He is an American player that has won more than fifteen awards on this tour. Plus, he is currently ranked as the second-best beach player in the world due to his great performance in tournaments such as the Olympics.
- April Ross. She is an American player and a three-time Olympic medalist. She has won more than ten awards in this competition, and she is currently ranked as the third-best female player of all time in beach volleyball.
- Taylor Crabb. He is an American defender that has won more than eight awards on the AVP. He is also considered to be one of the best defenders in the world.
- Ricardo Santos. He is a Brazilian player who is allowed to play in the AVP due to his permanent residency in the USA. Although he has just won one award in this competition, he made amazing runs and had a great performance.
- Alix Klineman. She is an American player that has won more than five championships alongside April Ross. She has been named ‘’best blocker’’, ‘’team of the year’’, and ‘’most improved player’’ due to her amazing performance in this competition.
Related Questions
Here are related questions about AVP in volleyball:
Where Is the AVP Usually Transmitted?
Usually, all matches are aired live on the AVP’s YouTube account. On top of that, big games (such as the final stages) can be broadcast on NBC Sports Network and USA Network.
How Do You Qualify for the AVP?
One of the easiest ways to compete in this tour is to pay a fee and become a member of the association. This way, you will be able to compete in numerous events from a very young age, which is quite helpful for players who aspire to become professionals.
Conclusion
When it comes to volleyball, tours can be considered an essential part for all players. After all, this offers them a lot of experience inside of the court. In this case, this competition has held many events and has formed a lot of players throughout the years.