DESPITE ITS PUBLIC ACCESS, THE SAME TERRITORIALITY THAT DROVE A WEDGE BETWEEN SURFERS ALSO CREPT INTO THE WORLD OF BEACH VOLLEYBALL. MANY OF THE BURGEONING SPORT’S TOP PLAYERS WERE EITHER FROM THE NORTH BAY OR SOUTH BAY. ON THE SURFACE, THIS MAY APPEAR TRIVIAL, BUT IT GOT VERY PERSONAL.

TRUTH BE TOLD, IT WAS THE AUDIENCE THAT COULD BOTH LITERALLY AND FIGURATIVELY REACH OUT AND TOUCH YOU THAT MADE YOU REALIZE THE CONFINES OF ENEMY TERRITORY. THROUGHOUT THE 70s AND 80s, FANS WERE EXPECTED TO STAY QUIET LIKE THOSE AT A TENNIS MATCH. TRY EXPECTING THAT OF FOLKS THAT HAVE BEEN DRINKING ALL DAY IN THE HOT SUN.

SOME WOULD ARGUE THAT IT WAS THE HEAD REFEREE’S WHO WERE THE GREATEST VICTIMS OF ABUSE. SURE, BOTCHING A CALL WOULD CATCH YOU A LENGTHY EARFUL FROM PLAYERS, YELLOW CARDS BE DAMNED, BUT THESE ROWDY CROWDS WERE INCONSOLABLE. FANS WERE EJECTED, SOME ARRESTED. ONE INCIDENT SAW A RENOWNED PLAYER “INTERACT” WITH THAT OF A HIGHLY INTOXICATED, BELLIGERENT FAN.

ALL IN ALL, A BEACH VOLLEYBALL EVENT BACK THEN WAS PLAYED BY A SET OF RULES THAT WOULD EVENTUALLY HAVE TO SHIFT OR ENDURE SPONSOR DISAPPROVAL. THEN AGAIN, VIEWERSHIP NUMBERS DID NOT REFLECT SUCH BEHAVIOR AS UNDESIRABLE. RATINGS WERE STEADILY RISING AND PRIZE MONEY WENT UP BY 300% BETWEEN 1987 AND 1988.