ESPN backs US Olympian’s new beach volleyball series

US sports broadcaster ESPN has agreed a rights deal to cover the new beach volleyball series being launched by America’s multi-Olympic gold medallist Kerri Walsh Jennings.

P1440 has been established by Jennings (pictured) and the series will feature professional beach volleyball tournaments alongside a music festival, personal development experiences and a health and wellness village.

In its inaugural year, p1440 men’s and women’s tournament finals will air on either ESPN2 or the ABC network.

The debut p1440 season will travel to San Jose, California; Las Vegas; San Diego and Huntington Beach, California, in 2018 and four additional cities in 2019. ABC will cover the opening San Jose Open on September 30, along with the events in San Diego and Huntington Beach.

John Lasker, ESPN vice-president of digital media programming, said: “Kerri Walsh Jennings is not only a three-time Olympic gold medallist, she’s an innovator and her event series has a creative approach that resonates with ESPN’s programming efforts.”