Link

Devon Newberry is closing in on two years as a professional beach volleyball player. Yet for the last 731 days, “professional” has always felt like an elusive label.

The former UCLA standout is accustomed to life as a beach volleyball player — hauling her equipment on the beach, tugging her bag across the uneven sand while weaving through sunbathers and surfboards. She’s used to hearing provisional bleachers creak under sunscreen-slathered fans as music buzzes through nearby portable speakers.

Advertisement

There’s charm in that chaos. But it’s nothing like the entrance Newberry made Friday at the Intuit Dome.

Above her, the sweeping halo scoreboard glowed, flashing beneath the thump of blasting pop anthems. Around her, where NBA chants once echoed, beach volleyball fans cheered. And strangest of all, tons of sand created a faux indoor shoreline.

After two years chasing it, Newberry found her label.

Read more: 300 tons of sand trucked into Intuit Dome to create unique AVP beach volleyball venue

“I walked into the Intuit Dome today and I was like, ‘I feel like a professional athlete walking in,’” Newberry said. “I haven’t felt like that as a beach player. There’s very rare moments when you’re like, ‘Wow, I am really a professional athlete.’ And when I was going underground here and looking all around me, I was like, ‘I really am a professional athlete.’ And that’s because we’re playing at the Intuit Dome.”

Advertisement

In what began as a head-scratcher for the players themselves, 300 tons of sand were poured into the Intuit Dome, turning the Clippers’ arena into a pop-up beach — where the L.A. Launch kept their perfect run afloat for the start of AVP League Week 5.

The Launch struck first and last — with Megan Kraft and Terese Cannon opening with a win, and Hagen Smith and Logan Webber closing it out — both pairs dismantling the San Diego Smash. Sandwiched between those victories, Palm Beach Passion’s men’s and women’s teams both made quick work of the Miami Mayhem.

The moment Newberry described — descending into an NBA arena re-imagined as a sand-strewn battleground — was the AVP’s moonshot: to re-imagine the sport in lights, not solely sunlight.

“Playing in such an amazing place, brand new building, with everything going on, with the new building around here, it’s really cool,” said 2016 Olympian Chaim Schalk. “To get to play at such an iconic arena is an honor.”

Beach volleyball rarely has ventured beyond its coastal roots. But at the Intuit Dome, the sport embraced a new direction.

Advertisement

“This shows that beach volleyball is growing and it’s trying to adapt to the world we live in, finding a new way for fans to interact with the players, and new ways for the sport to be exciting,” said Chase Budinger, a former NBA player who became a beach volleyball player. “This will get more people in the stands because it’s so new and so different.”

In place of sun-worshiping fans camped out on makeshift bleachers, parents lounged on cushioned seats as kids nestled beside them balancing chicken wings and pizzas on their laps.

The sport welcomed a combination of newcomers hunting for Friday night entertainment and AVP devotees.

“There’s so many people who love beach volleyball, and so many people who would love beach volleyball if they were just given the opportunity to go watch,” Newberry said. “And not everybody can make it out.”

Advertisement

Read more: How Chase Budinger went from the NBA to playing beach volleyball in the Olympics

Change comes with tradeoffs. With no wind, the court became something of a power chamber — the compact sand lending itself to higher and cleaner jumps, the still air enabling blistering serves and monstrous spikes that might have drifted wide on the beach.

Rallies became quicker and tighter. The margin for error shrank, tightening the grip on the crowd.

“For a lot of people watching beach volleyball for the first time, it’s really hard to conceptualize how wind, how deep the sand is, might affect play,” Newberry said. “So it feels like more of an even playing field which allows everybody to watch really entertaining volleyball.”

Advertisement

By re-imagining the boundaries of where its sport can potentially thrive, the AVP might have sketched out a novel blueprint for other sports.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if other sports follow and start expanding their ideas of where they could play,” said Olympic silver medalist Brandie Wilkerson. “I’m excited to see where this is going to go and see other sports try to catch up.”

Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Link

Origins: Two Worlds Collide in a Can

Red Bull was born in the mid-1980s when Austrian entrepreneur Dietrich Mateschitz discovered “Krating Daeng,” a popular energy tonic, on a business trip to Thailand.

The drink, invented by Thai businessman Chaleo Yoovidhya, was originally targeted at truck drivers and factory workers who needed long-lasting alertness.

Mateschitz partnered with Chaleo to create an international version—carbonated, rebranded, and reformulated for Western tastes.

Red Bull launched in Austria in 1987—marketed not as a soft drink, but as a “functional beverage” that “gives you wings.”

The Formula: Sugar, Caffeine, and Clever Marketing

Red Bull’s original recipe: caffeine, taurine, B-vitamins, sugar, and carbonated water—a formula now copied by hundreds of brands.

The drink’s unique metallic-blue-and-silver can became its own global language—easily spotted at parties, clubs, gas stations, and sporting events.

Unlike Coca-Cola or Pepsi, Red Bull never tried to be a family drink. It targeted students, night owls, athletes, and risk-takers from the start.

Inventing the Energy Drink Category

When Red Bull launched, there was no “energy drink” shelf in the store—the company had to invent a new market from scratch.

Clever early marketing: free samples at college parties, nightclubs, and extreme sports events—building word of mouth among the “young, urban, tired, and adventurous.”

Red Bull reps in branded “Mini Coopers” with giant cans strapped on top became a familiar sight in cities around the world.

The brand never spent big on traditional ads; instead, it seeded coolness, adrenaline, and aspiration.

Building a Lifestyle: Red Bull as Culture, Not Just a Drink

Red Bull didn’t just sponsor sports—it created its own: Red Bull Flugtag (human-powered flying machines), Red Bull Crashed Ice, Red Bull Air Race, and global cliff diving competitions.

Extreme sports: Skateboarding, BMX, snowboarding, surfing, motocross, breakdancing—if it’s wild and thrilling, Red Bull is there.

Athlete sponsorship: Red Bull backs hundreds of athletes across dozens of sports, from Formula 1 drivers to parkour artists to e-sports champions.

Music and nightlife: Red Bull Music Academy, studios, festivals, and club nights support cutting-edge artists and DJs worldwide.

Red Bull in Motorsports: From Underdog to Champion

Formula 1: Red Bull Racing launched in 2005, quickly becoming the most successful non-manufacturer team of its era.

Four consecutive world championships with Sebastian Vettel (2010–2013) and more with Max Verstappen—challenging automotive giants.

Red Bull owns multiple teams: Scuderia AlphaTauri (formerly Toro Rosso), extreme rally teams, MotoGP, and more.

The brand’s presence: bold, colorful cars, wild stunts, and a “party in the paddock” energy.

Content Kings: Media, Storytelling, and Viral Moments

Red Bull created its own media company—Red Bull Media House—producing documentaries, web series, and viral clips.

Red Bull TV: Streaming platform for adventure, sports, culture, and music—free, global, and always “on brand.”

Felix Baumgartner’s Stratos Jump (2012): The most-watched live stream in history as Red Bull sent a skydiver to the edge of space, breaking world records for viewers and freefall.

The brand’s YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram presence is vast—highlighting everything from base jumping to music sessions to street soccer.

The Red Bull “Formula”: Product, Personality, and Place

Minimal flavor variants: Unlike rivals, Red Bull stuck with a core product, adding only sugar-free, “Red Edition,” and a few limited flavors.

Always in the moment: Red Bull is “the drink for now”—before a big night, after a long shift, during an all-nighter.

Distribution as marketing: You’ll find Red Bull in the smallest corner shop, at ski lodges, music festivals, and luxury nightclubs.

Premium price: It’s always been more expensive than soda—positioning it as a “functional” purchase, not a treat.

Globalization and Localization

Sold in over 170 countries, Red Bull adapts marketing for each culture—sometimes even changing sponsorships or sports focus.

Headquarters in Austria, but a strong presence in Los Angeles, London, Sao Paulo, Cape Town, and Bangkok.

Branding is consistent but playful: Local artists, events, and athletes keep the brand relevant everywhere.

Criticisms and Controversy

Health concerns: High sugar and caffeine content have sparked bans, warnings, and debates over safety—especially for children and teens.

Marketing to youth: Critics claim the brand glamorizes risk and adrenaline; Red Bull insists it supports responsible consumption and athletes.

Environmental impact: Billions of cans per year—Red Bull invests in recycling and renewable energy, but footprint remains a challenge.

Copycats: Red Bull fights to maintain its mystique in a crowded, lookalike market.

Seven-Day Red Bull Challenge

Day 1: Try Red Bull before a workout, study session, or late shift—notice the effect.

Day 2: Watch a Red Bull extreme sports video—what makes their media unique?

Day 3: Follow a Red Bull-sponsored athlete on social media—see behind the scenes.

Day 4: Explore Red Bull TV for a documentary or live event.

Day 5: Check out a Red Bull Music event, playlist, or artist.

Day 6: Research the Stratos Jump or another wild Red Bull stunt—what’s the tech and story behind it?

Day 7: Reflect—how has Red Bull shaped sports, youth culture, and even your own energy habits?

Why Red Bull Matters

Red Bull isn’t just an energy drink—it’s a lifestyle, media empire, and culture engine.

The brand proved that experience, story, and “cool factor” can be more powerful than traditional advertising.

For a generation raised on speed, adrenaline, and authenticity, Red Bull is more than a can: it’s an invitation to live on the edge, even for just one sip.