LOS ANGELES -- After the first weekend of nationally televised AVP Pro Beach Volleyball action of the 2008 season, the AVP Crocs Tour on NBC Sports posted a 1.9 overnight rating following Sunday's live broadcast of the Women's event finals from Boulder, Col., featuring 2004 Gold Medalists, 2008 Olympians and five-time AVP Crocs Tour Champions Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh. The 1.9 overnight rating showed an increase of more than 100 percent over the 0.9 rating received a year ago.

"We are excited to see the interests in our sport and athletes continue to build," said Leonard Armato, AVP CEO and commissioner. "NBC Sports has done a tremendous job with the broadcast. We are looking forward to continuously featuring AVP Crocs Tour action and athletes on national television throughout the summer and look to build upon the excitement and growth we have already seen so far this year."

The AVP Crocs Pro Beach Volleyball Tour continues throughout the summer with nationally televised men's and women's event finals live on NBC Sports leading up to the start of the 2008 Olympic Games. Following the most recent Olympic Games in 2004, AVP's revenues climbed an impressive 35% in the year following the Olympics and AVP's fan base increased a whopping 48%, according to Scarborough research in the two years subsequent to the Olympic Games in Athens.

AVP Crocs Tour fans and beach volleyball enthusiasts can catch all the action from the AVP Crocs Slam event finals in Chicago, Brooklyn and Long Beach live on NBC Sports (check local listings). AVP Crocs Athletes and US Olympic Beach Volleyball Team members can be seen competing up close and in person as they continue to prepare for the Olympic Games on the AVP Crocs Pro Beach Volleyball Tour. Upcoming tour stops include Chicago, Ill (July 11-13), Brooklyn, NY (July 18-20), Long Beach, Calif (July 25-27) and San Diego, Calif (Aug. 1-3).