Pro beach volleyball is back, but inside Intuit Dome
Professional beach volleyball is returning to the Los Angeles area – this time, inside one of its newest sporting cathedrals.
The Association of Volleyball Professionals tour will stop at the Intuit Dome, home of the Clippers, for its Week 5 action Friday and Saturday night. The touring league, stacked with Olympians and pioneers of the sport, will compete inside the Inglewood arena for the first time.
The Intuit Dome is the latest addition to L.A.’s pro sports infrastructure, and many players are eager to bring beach volleyball’s energy indoors. While the sport typically spikes in attention during Olympic years – ranked as the sixth most-watched sport during the Games – its leap to a major L.A. venue signals growth and offers fans a chance to see it up close in a high-profile setting.
“If fans come out and watch the event,” said Geena Urango of San Diego Smash, “those who haven’t been to one before would realize just how special and entertaining beach volleyball is.”
Urango has a unique relationship with the sport and the city. In 2007, she became the first beach volleyball recruit at USC, laying the foundation for a powerhouse that would go on to win six NCAA titles.
She’s still competing 17 years later.
Both members of the L.A. Launch women’s duo – Terese Cannon (2015-19) and Megan Kraft (2021-24) – followed in Urango’s footsteps at USC. The age gap disappears, they say, when they meet on the sand.
“It’s amazing that she’s still playing at such a high level,” Cannon said. “I sometimes forget she was the first one to play at USC Beach, because she still seems so fresh to the sport. But I know she’s a veteran and a legend.”
Urango is one of many big names in the league.
Phil Dalhausser, a 2008 Olympic gold medalist and four-time Olympian, will retire after the 2025 season. The AVP regards him as perhaps the most dominant player in the sport’s history.
Kelly Cheng, another USC alum (2014-17), competed in the past two Olympics and now plays for Miami Mayhem alongside 2016 Olympian Chaim Schalk.
San Diego Smash’s Chase Budinger joined the AVP after seven seasons in the NBA. He and partner Miles Evans competed for Team USA in 2024.
While these athletes made their names in Olympic arenas, this weekend offers a rare chance to see them compete live, at home.
“It’s the sport that only comes into people’s purview every four years,” said UCLA alum and L.A. Launch player Hagen Smith. “Everybody loves it, but now there’s more opportunity to see all those Olympic athletes. You can just latch on to some amazing new personalities, amazing athletes – and I mean, how can you beat a beach sport? Plus, it’s at Intuit, which makes it even more sick.”
The AVP runs on a team-based format with eight city-backed franchises: L.A. Launch, Miami Mayhem, San Diego Smash, Palm Beach Passion, Brooklyn Blaze, Austin Aces, New York Nitro, and Dallas Dream.
Each tour stop includes four matchups per team contest – two men’s and two women’s – with all results contributing to the team score and standings.
The format encourages continuity and chemistry. Each team travels with consistent men’s and women’s pairs, building bonds that stretch beyond the court.
“You guys are going through this together,” Smith said. “I have so many friends on the tour. When you step on the court, we’re competitors – no friends out there. But off the court, we’re all family.”
This week, Smith and the Launch return “home.”
Through four weekends, L.A. leads the league standings. Now, they’ll look to defend that top spot in front of friends and family on one of the city’s brightest stages.
“It’s so exciting to play in L.A.,” Kraft said. “It’s especially cool because we’re part of the L.A. Launch this year, so we’re able to represent the city and make it our home event. We’ll have some good people in the stands. I invited all my former teammates, friends and family. Hopefully, we get a good crowd at Intuit.”
AVP League Week 5
When: 5 p.m. Friday; 4 p.m. Saturday
Where: Intuit Dome, Inglewood
How to watch: Friday (6-7 p.m. YouTube @avpbeach; 7-9 p.m. CBS Sports Network; 9-10 p.m. YouTube @avpbeach); Saturday (5-7 p.m. The CW Network; 7-9 p.m. YouTube @avpbeach)