COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Feb. 16, 2012) – The Dallas Convention Center Arena will host the 2008 Olympic gold medal winning U.S. Men’s National Volleyball Team along with national teams from Italy, France and Korea for an FIVB World League weekend on June 29-July 1.
The competition, which will be televised to an international audience of more than 70 million viewers, marks the last chance to watch these teams prior to the 2012 Olympic Games in London, where all four teams hope to compete.
Significantly for both volleyball and the city of Dallas, the FIVB World League weekend will open the USA Volleyball Boys’ Junior National Championships on July 1-8, where more than 400 teams will compete for the junior national title, also at the Dallas Convention Center. Competitors, fans and Dallas residents have a unique opportunity to attend the World League matches and watch some of the best men’s volleyball players in the world.
"Dallas eagerly anticipates hosting an FIVB World League weekend June 29-July 1," said Phillip Jones, president and CEO, Dallas Convention & Visitors Bureau. "It will be an exciting weekend for both the city and the sport, as we also welcome international delegations from Korea, Italy and France. We are excited to see Team USA compete only weeks prior to the Olympic Games in London.
“Dallas has a storied history of hosting marquee professional, international, collegiate and amateur sporting events and is excited for the opportunity to also host this prestigious international event.”
Due to the 2012 Olympic Games, the 23rd edition of the World League tournament, the world’s premier annual men’s volleyball event, has a different format. The tournament will be held May 18-July 1 with the Final Round set to take place in Sofia, Bulgaria on July 4-8.
“We are really looking forward to competing in Dallas in front of players from the USA Volleyball Boys’ National Championships,” said U.S. Head Coach Alan Knipe (Huntington Beach, Calif.). “That will be an important World League weekend and we hope to travel from Dallas to Bulgaria for the Final Round.”
For the first time in the tournament’s history, the World League Intercontinental (pool play) Round, still featuring 16 teams across four pools, will be played over four weekends with each country hosting all four teams in their respective pool on one weekend each.
The four pool winners, plus the best second-place team and host Bulgaria will qualify for the Final Round.
The United States, which is ranked sixth in the world and won the 2008 World League, and third-ranked Italy, an eight-time World League winner, will be the favorites in Pool C as they battle with longtime volleyball power France and upstart Korea.
All four teams will navigate their campaign with qualification for the London Games, with Italy hosting one of the European Olympic qualification tournaments halfway through the World League.
The local Dallas web site for information is
visitdallas.com/worldleague2012. Tickets will go on sale by the end of February.
The USA Volleyball World League web site is
http://usavolleyball.org/events/9282.
2012 World League Schedule
Pool C
(United States, Italy, France, Korea)
May 18-20 at Florence, Italy
June 15-17 at Lyon, France
June 22-24 at Gwangju, Korea
June 29-July 1 at Dallas, Texas
Pool A
(Russia, Cuba, Serbia, Japan)
May 18-20 at Hamamatsu, Japan
June 15-17 at Havana, Cuba
June 22-24 at Kalingrad, Russia
June 28-30 at Novi Sad, Serbia
Pool B
(Brazil, Poland, Finland, Canada)
May 18-20 at Toronto, Canada
June 1-3 at Katowice, Poland
June 8-10 at San Bernardo Do Campo
June 15-17 at Tampere, Finland
Pool D
(Argentina, Bulgaria, Germany, Portugal)
May 25-27 at Frankfurt, Germany
June 15-17 at Buenos Aires, Argentina
June 22-24 at Guimaraes, Portugal
June 29-July 1 at Sofia, Bulgaria
