Pro Beach Volley Ball – Charleston, S.C.

The AVP Charleston Open, South Carolina’s only professional beach volleyball event and Charleston’s largest beach party of the year, returns May 15th – 18th, 2008 to the Family Circle Tennis Center on Daniel Island. Over 150 top players, including a host of US Olympic gold medalists and the biggest superstars of the game, will battle for a total purse of $200,000 in men’s and women’s competition. Weekend ticket packages and individual session tickets will be available for sale beginning March 1st, 2008.

Once again, the Family Circle Tennis Center will be transformed into beachfront property as over 1,500 tons of pristine white PGA Bunker quality sand will be trucked in to create five world-class volleyball courts spread out over the 32-acre facility, and an intimate center court inside Family Circle Magazine Stadium. This beautifully designed award-winning tennis facility will be become a volleyball paradise showcasing the premier matches and off-court activities throughout the four-day event.

“Our site plan will be similar to last year’s layout, but we’re integrating a host of improvements focused on enhancing the experience for both the fans and players alike,” noted Eleanor Adams, AVP Charleston Open Tournament Co-Manager. “We’re excited to have the chance to build on the success of our inaugural event, incorporate some of what we’ve seen by attending other AVP events around the country, and create some fun new activities of our own that are sure to entertain the whole family.”

The best professional beach volleyball athletes play on the AVP Crocs Tour, and they’ll all compete in the 2008 AVP Charleston Open, an event that AVP CEO & Commissioner Leonard Armato has said “has the potential to become one the Tour’s flagship events”. The 2007 AVP Charleston Open women’s champions Misty-May Treanor and Kerri Walsh, as well men’s champions Stein Metzger and Mike Lambert, will headline the field as they defend their titles against a stellar field of challengers looking to make their mark at this prestigious tournament.

Qualifying rounds are free to attend, and tickets options for main draw action will include weekend packages and individual session sales. Tickets will be available at www.avp.com, the official web site of the AVP Crocs Tour, as well as Ticketmaster.com, local Ticketmaster outlets, and charge-by-phone at (843) 554-6060 beginning March 1st, 2008.

“Be sure to put Charleston’s hard-hitting action-packed event of the year on your calendars today,” commented Elizabeth Skogman, AVP Charleston Open Tournament Co-Manager. “The AVP Charleston Open promises to keep you on the edge of your seat throughout all four days of competition, and our ticket packages are priced right and tailored to fit anyone’s schedule, so be sure to catch all of the action this May.”

The Family Circle Tennis Center, home of the AVP Charleston Open and Family Circle Cup, is a public facility owned by the City of Charleston and operated by Family Circle Magazine that hosts a variety of events including concerts, festivals, tennis events and other special activities throughout the year. For more information on the Family Circle Tennis Center, or for a complete schedule of events, please call (843) 849-5300 or visit us on the web at www.familycirclecup.com.