COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Dec. 12, 2016) – USA Volleyball has formally signed an extension with Sports Anaheim, where Anaheim will serve as the Official Host City of the U.S. Men’s and Women’s National Teams. The new deal runs through the entire 2020 Olympic quadrennial.

“USA Volleyball could not be more pleased that our U.S. Women’s and Men’s National Teams will be calling the City of Anaheim home for another four years,” USA Volleyball Secretary General Kerry Klostermann said. “The U.S. Men’s team relocated to Anaheim in 2006 and the U.S. Women followed in 2009. The Olympic medals won by the teams in 2008, 2012 and 2016 are attributable to the generous support provided by the City of Anaheim and its citizens.”

In September 2016, the Anaheim City Council approved funding that will pay USA Volleyball $1.5 million over the next four years leading up to the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. Following the Anaheim City Council vote, USA Volleyball and Sports Anaheim, a division of Anaheim’s convention and visitor’s bureau Visit Anaheim, negotiated the final contract details to stay within the framework of the City Council approved vote.

“USA Volleyball is such an intrinsic part of our sports culture in Anaheim and we are thrilled that we are able to provide the teams with a home for the next four years,” Visit Anaheim President and CEO Jay Burress said. “As a destination, we are eager to enter a mutually beneficial relationship that not only supports the U.S. Men’s and Women’s teams as they embark on their journey to the 2020 Olympic Games, but also positively impacts our local community.”

While Anaheim has served as their training city, the two international powerhouse indoor teams have captured four of a possible five Olympic Games medals plus one FIVB World Championship title (U.S. Women in 2014), FIVB World Cup title (U.S. Men in 2015), four FIVB World Grand Prix titles (U.S. Women in 2010-12, 2015) and two FIVB World League titles (U.S. Men in 2008, 2014). Prior to their moves to Anaheim, neither the U.S. Men or Women had medaled at the Olympics since 1992.

The two teams had been training at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs before heading to California. In Colorado Springs, the ball travels differently in the thinner, high altitude air than at sea level where most international tournaments are contested. The teams’ move to California also put both programs in the heart of one volleyball’s major hotbeds in the Southern California region.

Since the move, both teams train at the American Sports Centers on 1500 S. Anaheim Blvd. in Anaheim. The public is always invited to attend training sessions free of charge. Typically, the two national teams train in Anaheim between April and September except when traveling for international tournaments.

As part of the agreement, USA Volleyball will work to prioritize its signature national championship events and international tournaments to take place Anaheim and the surrounding Orange County communities as availability exists. Team USA members, who mostly live in Anaheim and Orange County, will also become more intertwined into the community with athlete and coach appearances for the City of Anaheim, coaching the game to the next generation of athletes such as the Anaheim Starlings Club and other win-win civic activations exposing the partnership.

Team USA Quotes
“We’re honored and proud to renew our special host relationship with the City of Anaheim, through Sports Anaheim. Since 2009 for the U.S. Women, and since 2006 for the U.S. Men, the support of the City and the community has been instrumental to our success, in critical areas like training facilities, offices, living quarters, nutritional solutions and many others. Thank you Sports Anaheim, we can’t wait to see what the next four years brings!” – U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Karch Kiraly

“I was happy to hear that the teams will be staying in Anaheim. I really like our training center there and the community has been very supportive.” – U.S. Men’s National Team libero Erik Shoji

About USA Volleyball
Founded in 1928, USA Volleyball is a Colorado incorporated nonprofit organization recognized by the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) and the Federation International de Volleyball (FIVB) as the National Governing Body for the disciplines of beach volleyball, indoor volleyball and sitting volleyball in the United States. USA Volleyball has over 325,000 registered members, 12,000 teams and 5,300 clubs nationwide. With an annual budget in excess of $31 million dollars, USA Volleyball supports the USA men’s and women’s senior national team programs for beach, indoor and sitting volleyball; youth and junior national teams, national championship events, coaching education, certification programs and grassroots development across all disciplines. USA Volleyball has a rich tradition of success as evidenced by winning an Olympic medal in every Olympic Games since 1984, four Paralympic medals since 2004 and capturing numerous World Cup, World Championship and Continental Championship titles. USA Volleyball is committed to and works toward opportunity for all to participate. It is an advocate for all Americans endeavoring to assure universal access to opportunities at all levels of the game. For more information on USA Volleyball, visit usavolleyball.org.

About Sports Anaheim
Sports Anaheim was established to bring in local, national and international sporting events into the destination, and serve as a resource for local organizations needing support in their bid to attract sports business. Since its launch in March 2016, the division has forged partnerships and inked deals to bring the following events into Anaheim and Orange County:

  • American Athletic Union: First West Coast office in Anaheim
  • 2017 International Weightlifting Federation World Championships
  • 2017 USA P&G Gymnastics Championship in Anaheim
  • LA24 Bid for 2024 Olympic Games
  • 2017 USA Weightlifting American Open
  • 2017 USA Fencing North American Cup
  • North American Chinese Invitation Volleyball Tournament
  • Varsity Spirit Corporation

For more information on Visit Anaheim, please visit: visitanaheim.org/sports-anaheim.

About Visit Anaheim
Founded in 1961, Visit Anaheim is a 501 (c)(6) nonprofit destination marketing organization. Visit Anaheim’s mission is to develop, market and sell Anaheim benefiting the economic vitality of our communities. Follow Visit Anaheim on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram (@VisitAnaheim) and LinkedIn (VisitAnaheim).