The epicenter of professional beach volleyball will be in Newport Beach Oct. 7-12 with two tournaments in the same week and at the location on the sand near the Newport Pier.
It will be a double whammy with the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Elite 16 and the third annual Newport Beach Volleyball Invitational.
“This is beach volleyball’s equivalent of a ‘major’ in tennis or golf,” said Kevin Martin of Eagle Four Partners and co-founder of the Newport Beach Volleyball Invitational, which unveiled an unconventional four-against-four format in 2023 in the first year of the event.
In most beach volleyball tournaments, including the Olympic Games and the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Elite 16, there are two players on each side of the net.
“If you’re a fan of the game, the Newport Pier is going to be rocking all week as spectators feast on the best beach volleyball event anywhere in the world in 2025,” said Steve Obradovich, co-founder of the Newport Beach Volleyball Invitational and an Association of Volleyball Professionals Hall of Famer.
“We’re fired up to have (U.S. Olympians and AVP Tour stars) Phil Dalhausser and Taylor Crabb leading two of the men’s teams and Kelly Cheng and Kristen Nuss leading two of the women’s teams in the Invitational,” he said. “They’ll earn their share of the $250,000 (total purse) trying to survive the toughest single-day volleyball competition on the planet.”
The Oct. 12 Invitational features the largest single-day total prize package in the world at $250,000.
The action begins with the five-day Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Elite 16 Oct. 7-11, highlighted by volleyball superstars, Olympians and AVP Tour legends in a two-against-two format. Eagle Four Partners and USA Volleyball have partnered for the event, along with Volleyball World and FIVB (Fédération Internationale de Volleyball), the global governing body for volleyball and beach volleyball.
It will be the first elite-level international event in the U.S. since 2018 with a purse of $300,000 total for both men and women.
“The world’s top 16 women’s and men’s pairs will have a new champion crowned on Saturday (Oct. 11), but it will be the fusion of international and domestic stars that will captivate crowds on Sunday (during the one-day Invitational),” Martin said.
The dual events are kicking off momentum for volleyball in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.
“Newport Beach isn’t just hosting a tournament, it is launching USA Volleyball’s road to the LA28 Olympic Games,” said John Speraw, former UC Irvine men’s volleyball coach and now president and CEO of USA Volleyball. “This is the first of many world-class events we plan to bring to Southern California as we build excitement and momentum for 2028. With Olympians and legends sharing the sand, fans will experience the past, present and future of beach volleyball all in one unforgettable week.”
The events are free, seating on the sand will be first-come, while VIP and “Sand Suite” tickets are available, offering premium access with unobstructed views. The tournaments are played in a two-court stadium.
With open seating available on the sand, attendees are encouraged to bring their own beach chairs and make the most of the opportunity. Food and alcoholic beverages (for those 21 and over) will be available, but there’s limited public parking and attendees are encouraged to carpool or use alternative transportation options.
For more information: nbvolleyball.com.
Richard Dunn, a longtime sportswriter, writes the Dunn Deal column regularly for The Orange County Register’s weekly, The Coastal Current North.