AVP - 1997 Schedule Announced

ASSOCIATION OF VOLLEYBALL PROFESSIONALS UNVEILS 1997 SCHEDULE

Miller Lite/AVP Tour Championships Set For New Disney Sports Complex

MARINA DEL REY, CA. December 17, 1996 -- The Association of Volleyball Professionals (AVP) released its 1997 schedule today, highlighted by the renewal of 15 host sites on the tournament slate and total prize money of more than $4 million.

Among the highlights of the 1997 Miller Lite/AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour are the Miller Lite/AVP Tour Championships set for August 28-September 1, at the new Walt Disney's Wide World of Sports complex in Orlando. The five-day event will include a charity golf tournament, three days of tournament competition (with the Finals televised live by NBC Sports) and the year-end awards ceremony.

"In assembling our 1997 schedule," stated Jerry Solomon, the AVP's chief executive officer, "our objective was to continue to establish long term relationships with our host cities and venues. We are especially excited about holding our year end championships at the new Walt Disney's Wide World of Sports complex, which will provide our players and fans with five days of exciting activities to end the season on a very high note.

The six-month 1997 AVP schedule kicks off with the Miller Lite King of the Beach Invitational at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas from March 14-16. The circuit then visits 13 more states, including visits to Arizona, Florida, Texas, Indiana, California, Illinois, Ohio, Massachusetts, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota and New Jersey.

"The Miller Lite/AVP Tour continues to provide fans with the best beach volleyball action in the world, and we at Miller Brewing are excited about the sport's growth," said Mike Welsh, director of event marketing from Miller Brewing Company. "Our long-standing association with the AVP is a great way for us to reinforce Miller Lite's status as the beer for active fun-loving adults."

Added Kent Steffes, the AVP's 1996 MVP; "It is extremely exciting and rewarding for our players to see the tremendous popularity and growth of our sport among both our fans and sponsors. We look forward to returning to many of our favorite cities again in 1997, as well as introducing our game to new markets next year."

1997 SCHEDULE