Held on the south side of the Manhattan Beach Pier, the Open is the only professional volleyball tournament in which amateurs are able to "place into" the event through pre-qualifying rounds.
[3] The tournament began in 1960 starting as an amateur event and, since 1984 has been part of the AVP's season (with the exceptions of 1997 and 1998, 2010, 2011 and 2012 it was presented by Pro Beach, and 2020 when it was not run due to Covid-19).
Today the event is the largest on the AVP tour drawing an estimated 60,000+ people over three days.
[4][5] Winners of the tournament are memorialized with bronze volleyball-shaped plaques in the "Volleyball Walk of Fame" mounted on the Manhattan Beach Pier.
[6] The record holder for the most tournament wins by a female is Kathy Gregory, with seven total bronze plaques on the "Volleyball Walk of Fame."