You have the Barefoot Wine AVPNext Championship Cup in Milwaukee this weekend - what is the format of that tournament?
It was originally scheduled for Chicago but because of the demise of the AVP they moved it to Bradford Beach in Milwaukee. Actually it is a tournament where people have earned the right to get Barefoot to fly them to Chicago and then to Milwaukee from all over the country. They've been having these little tournaments, 24 of them to be exact. They are all going to play each other. It is all the champions from all the different regions. And then Phil and I will play the winner of that. Last year they did the same set up with the event in San Francisco but the winner got into the AVP event. Because there is no event in Chicago, I suggested to them that they bring Phil out and we play the winners because that is probably what would have happened at a normal AVP event.
EVENT DETAILS: Saturday, August 28th, 2010 - Barefoot Wine presents AVPNext Championship Cup: 10:00am – 6:00pm
Winning Men’s and Women’s Teams vs. Gold Medalists: 3:00pm
You and Phil will also be playing in the Pro Beach Volleyball Player's Championship in Cincinnati, an event that has been put together by locals there, correct?
This is their sixth year of putting on an event. They’re great guys. Bob and Mario are putting on the event, their company. They’ve put on a fantastic event every year and they got pretty screwed by the AVP as well. They were expecting a $100,000 plus per gender event and all of a sudden three weeks before, the AVP goes bankrupt and they had to scramble to get $40,000 per gender for this event. They’re doing an 8-team event so the prize money will be a little bit higher than if they were doing a 32-team event or a 24-team event. I told them Phil and I are going to be in support of you for a number of reasons, one you’ve done a great job in the past. Two, you guys have gotten screwed as well and three Phil and I are in business with them in the park where they’re putting it on. We kind of represent the park, so we’re bringing some memorabilia for them to put up there. But in the future if it is a $40,000 event, in all likelihood Phil and I would not play.
I think it sends a really poor message out to the marketplace, particularly right now especially when the AVP could be bought out or a tour is coming in. If all the top players are willing to play in small events and are willing to play for small prize purses, then some company is going to come in and put out a small tournament. They’re not going to be willing to put in the money that makes it so you can actually make a living playing beach volleyball. I see that (the Cincinnati organizers) could put on 1-3 events. They have strong ties in Louisville and Indianapolis. So to support them this year when they are struggling because of what is happening with the AVP I think is the right thing to do, irrespective of the smaller amount of prize money. And also they are paying for hotel and they’re paying for food, so they are trying to step up to the best of their ability which is kind of what they’ve done over the last six years. If there was no tour, maybe they could be a part of that tour to the tune of one, two or three events.
EVENT DETAILS: Sept. 2 - 5, 2010
Finals at approx. 2:00 & 3:30 Sunday 9/5
Do you think many of the AVP players will retire since the collapse of the Tour?
I think a lot of people are going to be looking for alternate jobs. I don’t think they’re thinking 'oh I am definitely going to retire,' but I think come February or March if we’re still in the same predicament they may say that. But right now I think that people are hopeful, as am I and pretty positive that there is a lot of interest here that could become something that is similar to what the AVP has done in the past as far as a tour for American players to play on. It would be really disappointing if there was nothing and I feel really positive that there will be something next year.
