More than 700 Youth Volleyball Teams Compete at LA Convention Center for SoCal Cup’s ‘The Showcase’ Tournament

New Champions Crowned after Three Days of Elite Competition

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The nation’s leading tournament series for boys volleyball, SoCal Cup, staged its prestige ‘The Showcase’ tournament competition at the Los Angeles Convention Center on Father’s Day weekend, featuring elite head-to-head action.

Owned and operated by AIM Sports Group, the three day event drew more than 700 boys club volleyball teams of various age groups (12U through 18U), signifying 25% growth over last year’s Showcase event. Teams this year came from all over the US and beyond, including clubs from Brazil, Canada and Puerto Rico, driven to compete for what is fast becoming the ultimate bragging right in the sport.

Driving and cultivating the surging popularity of the sport, each year SoCal Cup hosts three tournaments: this past week’s SoCal Cup Showcase event; the SoCal Cup Winter Formal event in December; and the SoCal Cup Open Championship in January. SoCal Cup also operates in-season league matches and development programs.

The Showcase, which filled the Los Angeles Convention Center to capacity, drew a crowd of more than 78,000 across the three day event, made up of a diverse audience of athletes, families, and spectators.

“SoCal Cup continues to expand exponentially with each tournament, while leading the growth of boys volleyball as a sport,” said AIM Sports Group Founder John Gallegos. “Our recipe of providing the highest-level competition; innovative technology and game management; and a genuinely entertaining consumer experience, is taking the sport to the next level. We are also providing impactful marketing opportunities for brands looking to invest in the future of a cutting edge league that is drawing record audiences.”

“The level of competition displayed at this year’s Showcase was at an all-time high,” added AIM Sports Group and SoCal Cup Managing Director, Billy Hilliard. “We had over 700 club teams from across the country all under one roof, playing at the highest level. These are the best teams in the country – competing in front of audiences that include many, if not all, Division 1 men’s college programs. The future for SoCal Cup – and boys volleyball in general – is incredibly bright.”

The immersive experience that SoCal provides for athletes, parents and spectators is attracting brands like…got milk?, who had crowd-pleasing interactive games and activities that promoted the health benefits of milk; Sideout Sports, who served as the official merch partner for the event; Slunks, who dropped its latest volleyball shorts designs at the event; and many more youth-centric and athletic brands.

Boys volleyball clubs that achieved bragging rights this year by winning their divisions included:

18 Open: Balboa Bay 18 Blue - Newport Beach, CA
18 Club: Pipeline BOYS 18 Adidas Joe - Corona, CA
17 Open: MB Surf Asics 17-1 - Manhattan Beach, CA
17 Club: MVVC B17 Black - Sunnyvale, CA
16 Open: 949 16 Black - San Juan Capistrano, CA
16 Club: Minas Tenis Clube 16 - Belo Horizonte, Brazil
16 Classic: SD Beach 16-1 - San Diego, CA
15 Open: Team Rockstar 15 Rockstar - Long Beach, CA
15 Club: SMBC West 15 Molten - Santa Monica, CA
14 Open: MVVC B14 Red - Sunnyvale, CA
14 Club: Minas Tenis Clube 14 - Belo Horizonte, Brazil
13 Open: Team Rockstar 13 Rockstar - Long Beach, CA
12 Open: SCVC 12 Quicksilver - Redondo Beach, CA

Founded to provide elite competitive and developmental playing opportunities and training for young athletes, the SoCal Cup has grown exponentially over the last four years and is now the largest and best-attended youth volleyball tournament in the country. Learn more at aimsportsgroup.com.