EL SEGUNDO, Calif. – The Women’s Professional Volleyball Association (WPVA) has signed an exclusive agreement with Management Plus Enterprises (MPE) for marketing, promotional and sponsorship representation. WPVA Interim Executive Director David Williams and MPE Chairman and CEO Leonard Armato announced the deal today at the World Championships of Beach Volleyball at the UCLA Tennis Center.

"The future of professional beach volleyball is a strong one and this agreement with Management Plus Enterprises only serves to solidify the future of the sport and the WPVA," said Williams. "MPE has tremendous experience working with the corporate community and we believe those relationships will be of great benefit to the WPVA. We have reviewed a number of options, but we feel that this partnership with MPE is right for us and we believe it will be the basis for a long-term and very successful relationship."

Management Plus Enterprises, based in Santa Monica, Calif., is a leader in the representation, marketing and publicity of America’s top athletes and corporations. "We are excited about this relationship to help advance the growth of the WPVA," said Armato. "In addition to providing marketing and promotional support, we will be advising the WPVA on its entire operation to develop a long-term vision. The time is right to reposition the WPVA as the premiere professional sports organization for women.

"With the success of beach volleyball at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games and the establishment of this weekend’s World Championships of Beach Volleyball, the sport has come of age. The WPVA is in a great position to take advantage of the enthusiasm generated world-wide for the sport and the explosion of women’s sports around the world."

Armato has extensive experience in the sports and entertainment marketing world and a strong background in beach volleyball. The MPE client list includes top athletes such as Shaquille O’Neal, the WNBA’s Lisa Leslie and Holly McPeak, the world’s top-ranked pro beach volleyball player. Armato founded the Association of Volleyball Professionals (AVP) in 1983 and served as their executive director for six years.

With a membership of more than 225 active female athletes, the Women’s Professional Volleyball Association is the third largest professional athletic league for women. Entering its 11th season as the sanctioning body for the participation of the United States’ top female beach volleyball players in world-wide competition, the WPVA conducts 12 tournaments in the United States between April and September. The 1997 Tour concludes Sept. 26-28 with the tour’s final Grand Slam event, the Best of the Beach in Kauai, Hawaii.