AVP - Off-Season Antics

Let's hope that, despite the AVP's shaky start in Panama Beach last weekend, both the AVP and the pros have prepared well for a shortened, 16-stop tour in 2009. Here's a quick summary of the AVP action during the off-season.

Hot Winter Nights Tour

In its second season, the AVP held its second Hot Winter Nights Tour. Despite cancelling 3 of the 17 events, the 14-stop tour was a hit among the hit among the fans - approximately 1000 - 2000 fans per stop. Several men and women players competed in these exhibition-like matches. Gold-medalists Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers were highlights of the tour with fans scrambing for autographs on shirts, hats, and ticket stubs. After round-robin play in which the players traded partners in unisex round-robin play, a "final" was held. To heat-up this finale, the AVP switched the format of this contest to a mixed fours format where men and women competed together. Cool format and fun for fans.


AVP Goes Off the Record

The typically tight-lipped AVP management team has further distanced itself from the watchful and curious eye. On December 12, 2008, the AVP “deregistered its common stock” thereby ending the trading of its stock shares (hovering around the $1 mark) in the stock market. In a cost-cutting measure, the AVP will no longer need to regularly report its finances to the Securities Exchange Commission. In what will be a tightly-budgeted 2009 season, an approximated $500,000 in expenses can be avoided. And no longer will it need to report all its tournament and overhead expenses, as well as its sponsor and event revenue.

Throwing in the Gatorade Towel

During the off-season, a few top players decided not to put their bodies through the arduous pre-season training and marathon six-month outdoor season. Das Holdren, 5th place finisher at the Athens 2004 Olympics has called it quits. The fans will certainly miss his entertaining on-court arguments and stalling tactics. Fred Souza’s sizzling serves will not be missed by his competitors - he is sitting out this season and likely his entire career due to unsuccessful knee surgery. Mike Lambert’s nagging leg injuries, that prevented him from pursuing an Olympic bid in Beijing, have prompted his pull-out from the tour this year, and possibly forever. With these departures, new partnerships will emerge this season.