BOSTON (AP) — A new beach volleyball tour is trying to step into the gap left behind when the AVP went bankrupt.
The Jose Cuervo Pro Beach Volleyball Series will have three events this summer, starting with the prestigious Manhattan Beach Open on Aug. 26-28. Other events are scheduled for Miami Beach, Fla., and Hermosa Beach, Calif.
The total prize purse will be $500,000. The tour hopes to expand to seven events in 2012.
The mini-tour has the backing of USA Volleyball, the sport’s national governing body, and influential sports management company IMG. But reigning Olympic gold medalists Kerri Walsh, Misty May-Treanor, Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser all say they’ll skip the tournaments and focus on the international tour.
