Meet Dane Hillis of Bad Boys Open Volleyball

Today we’d like to introduce you to Dane Hillis

Hi Dane, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My name is Dane Hillis, I grew up in San Clemente, CA and went on to play Division 1 volleyball at Long Beach State. I graduated last semester and am pursuing my MBA at Long Beach State while continuing to be a part of the men’s Volleyball program. We are currently ranked number 1 in the nation and are hoping to bring a national championship home to LB after falling short in the finals both two years past. Due to my great dedication to volleyball and love for entrepreneurship myself and my teammate/ business partner Aidan Knipe aimed to great something new and fun for the volleyball community. We found a third partner in Mike Griffin at Bad Boys Open Volleyball and the three of us now own and operate the biggest Grass Volleyball tournament in Souther California, with over 3,000 attendees and big name sponsors such as Redbull, 818 Tequila, Asics, and plenty more. During this time I was also able to start a small Music event company, Mnage Music, we consult with local bars and nightlife spots in Southern California to create increased sales and attendance on some of their off nights. We also created a direct partnership to Baja Sharkees restaurant group and created Mnage Nights at many of their locations. Moving on I am excited to continue to scale and grow these opportunities all while finding new niches to connect with.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
We had some struggles along the way. My favorite part of entrepreneurship is problem-solving. These problems and difficulties always tend to come in crunch time, days leading up to the event or on the event day. Especially when things have to run smoothly, but never do, and this is where I thrive. The skills I have learned through sports has carried over extremely well into the business world.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Bad Boys Open Volleyball?
Bad Boys Open Volleyball curates Volleyball festivals across the country in new exciting and fun ways. We aim to create a festival atmosphere bringing athletes together from any skill perspective. When you have some of the best volleyball players in the world playing in the same space as new players it creates a great environment of fun and exploration. We ensure that we have diverse divisions and activities for all ages and levels of skill. All while curating the festival side of our events with live DJ’s, vendors, a beer garden, and diverse corporate partnerships. This year the 2025 OC Crown will be held in Huntington Beach. After a successful 2024 event we are hoping to bring more fun and more competition to the event in new and creative ways. We are extremely fortunate to have gotten incredible corporate sponsors last year that allowed us to curate an event made for both the competitive athlete, the backyard warrior, and the spectator.

Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
Specifically, the Grass Volleyball space is one of the most accessible but least developed modes of our sport. Both beach and indoor volleyball have vast and developed youth and adult leagues as well as Olympic backing. However, we aim to change this. With much of the nation being used to playing grass volleyball we want to bring structure and opportunity to those that desire it. We could see an organized professional grass format forming in the coming years, as well as possible Olympic backing. This would transform the sport from a completely recreational event into a much more competitive scene. That being said Bad Boys Open aims to cater to both of these aspects as we see the industry shift.

Pricing:

• 2025 OC Crown Registration Opening Soon
• 12,000 Prize purse for comp divisions
• Live DJs on site
• Some of the best Volleyball players in the worl

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.badboysopenvolleyball.com/
• Instagram: @dane_hillis @badboysopenvb
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daneahillis/
• Youtube: @dane_hillis

Image Credits
2024 OC Crown