Netflix has recently released its Tennis series "Break Point " which follows on from the Formula 1 series. With the creation of Volleyball World in 2021 we were told that they were in talks with Netflix for a beach volleyball doco series as if that was the holy grail to prove our sport had made it (or its marketing dept had at least).
The truth is however, it would be a huge dishonour to both Formula 1 and Tennis let alone the many other fully professional and truly global sports out there if beach volleyball were to have a series made about it now. Not only is professional Beach Volleyball not in a place worthy of such a series (in terms of its governance, administration and delivery at the professional level) but it is also not in a place where we would want a legacy piece (such as a Netflix series would become), to be made about our sport. The ideal time for such a series (if and when it had been earned) would be when the sport was at a peak in its relatively short history. Perhaps Volleyball World actually believed (or were told) it was at a high point when they arrived on the scene and they could give it the push needed to take it to such a peak. The reality however, is far from this.
Since 1996 and the creation of the first FIVB World Tour (created to give an Olympic qualifying process) the professional side of the sport has been in decline at least in its 2 main powerhouses - USA and Brazil. While the sport as a whole has grown across Europe and Asia, and through the first decade of this century enjoyed relative growth on the World Tour, by 2012 the bubble was leaking. The media deal with IMG was not renewed, Swatch bowed out as naming rights sponsor with no replacement and so began the Beach Majors project which promised a new Majors Event each year in a worldwide exclusivity delivery deal with the FIVB. Instead the 4 Majors became 3, then 2, then 1 and with Covid none. And after covid, still none and then in 2022 a complete parting of ways between the 2 organisations with Beach Majors saying they could no longer work with the FIVB.
In the middle of this decline and obviously in order to turn fortunes around we saw the 5 Star system introduced in 2017 which on paper had many great merits to it but on the ground was never implemented as the theory required. There were not enough events in each category meaning blurred lines and players being confused about where they should or shouldn't play. And prize money was continuing to decline as it had since 2014. Yes there was an explosion of development level events in Asia but again covid ended most of them and while Europe has remained fairly consistent with many development level and some pro events, we still haven't see any real change in either USA or Brazil. In fact the USA's AVP has had its own traumatic 2 decades with a number of bankruptcies and rebirths, the latest of which the jury is still out on.
This all brings us to 2022 and the removal of the short lived star system and birth of the 3 layer Pro Tour with its many holes and flaws which almost caused a player boycott before the 2022 season even began. (The binding player vote ended up with 40% voting to boycott and 60% to play despite indications before the vote showing overwhelming support for the boycott.) A full player boycott would have been unprecedented in the sport and indeed in the whole world of professional sports (if you can currently call it a professional sport). It would however have made a good Netflix drama....
The current system will have to remain in place until the Paris Olympics as it is doubles as the qualification system (something the IOC requires of all its participating sports). I don't see it lasting beyond that and neither does the FIVB. Word on the street is the World Tour as we know it will end and perhaps finally space will be given for the sport to be rebirthed outside of the FIVBs total control. Will this be the defining moment in the sports history where it can take its first baby steps on its own?
Break Point begins its first episode talking about the 4 annual Grand Slams of Tennis and the history and prestige and prize money that each has. When Beach Volleyball has a 150 year old Grand Slam and 10000 pro womens players then perhaps we could give Netflix a call. For now lets just chill and think about what we might want if we have a clean slate in 2025.
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