The AVP announced yesterday that AOS Group, LP has bought 100% of the league's assets from DFA PVA II Partners, LLC (AVP). AOS Group Managing Partner & Owner Donald Sun said that he paid $2M "for the pro beach volleyball league, which was previously owned by Nick Lewin." In L.A., Baxter Holmes reported this is a chance for Sun "to control a sport that he’s long admired and played at University High in Irvine.” Sun: “I’m not a volleyball guru, but I understand the enthusiasm people have for volleyball. ... It’s a shame where I see it today, but I want to build it back to what it was before.” Sun said that he “didn’t like how the AVP had changed, such as altering court sizes and switching from side-out style of scoring to rally scoring, for television events in 2001.” He said, “They tried to make it too TV-friendly.” Sun said that “plans are still in the early stages, but he does foresee there being AVP events in 2012.” He plans to move the headquarters to Newport Beach (LATIMES.com, 4/2). Sun said, "The biggest challenge is winning back the confidence of the sponsors. Also, how do you sustain a sport while being profitable? Many years in the past, it just wasn't. We need to be creative and innovative but not to a point where we have a skeleton of a tour." He added that the "immediate plan is try to arrange a handful of tournaments this year with the focus on building for 2013 with a schedule more familiar to beach volleyball followers" (Torrance DAILY BREEZE, 4/3).
