History
THE MIRAMAR® JOURNEY AND THE CROWN BRANDS
Miramar® , King & Queen of the Beach® and King & Queen of the Court® were originally founded in 1983 on the Golden Shores of California at Miramar Beach, together with Sideout® near Santa Barbara, California. Together they are the Crown Brands.
These American Riviera Brands, began their journey on the belief in a higher level of consciousness found within one’s self through the personal experiences that the volleyball, surf and beach lifestyles provide.
Miramar® prides itself in its history of making quality clothing, outerwear, footwear, beach volleyballs and accessories; and, most importantly, holding some of the greatest beach events on the planet. In fact, today, through its retail media networks, Miramar® is a proud partner and sponsor for the King and Queen of the Court® Crown Series with its global partner, Sportworx and its inventor, Wilco Nijland.
Miramar® Queen/King of the Beach® and Queen/King of the Court® products are developed to enhance your experience and journey to the sea under one lifestyle.
"Jaws Comes to Life 2016" - A Miramar® Photo, Courtesy Tom Servais
From its inception alongside the Sideout® brand at Miramar in 1983, Stephen Ascher and Olympian Sinjin Smith forged a new future together. A strong history and reputation began to unfold. For over four decades now, King of the Beach®, Miramar®, King of the Court® and it's combined and intertwined Queen of the Beach® and Queen of the Court® brands have ruled the sand and sea. We encourage you to join our global pursuit of the excitement that the lifestyle of these American Riviera Brands™ provide.
With the Marlin in Cabo San Lucas, BCS - The 1989 Miramar® King of the Beach® Team. Left to Right: Randy Stoklos, Sinjin Smith, Stephen Ascher, David Yost, Captain “Crutch” and Bruk Vandeweghe. Copyright 1989 Miramar®
HISTORY
In 1983, after founding Sideout® Beachwear out of his UC Berkeley frat house, Stephen Ascher set off on a surf trip with Sinjin Smith that would forever change their lives. Ascher had just left college at Cal Berkeley, where he played NCAA and Club volleyball, winning two "Club" team National Championships as setter, and was introduced to Sinjin Smith at a tradeshow in Los Angeles called “MAGIC.”
From that moment, it all began.
Sinjin Smith, now considered the "Face" of modern beach volleyball, serves up the "floater" in a 1988 Sideout® King of the Beach® poster. This poster, with Smith in neon "King of the Beach®" volleys and ESPN cameras spinning the live broadcast, is considered one of the greatest beach volleyball posters of all time and is in the Miramar® archives.
At Miramar®, Ascher eventually incorporated the King of the Beach®, Queen of the Beach® and the Queen & King of the Court® brands in the mix. This journey of passion into the global surf, volleyball and beach lifestyle began that still resonates today.
The idea of starting a beach lifestyle company around board riding and beach volleyball, two sports loved by many, were a hit. Ascher made an initial small investment with his father, and the journey began.
Then came The Crown, combined with Smith's legendary success, and the brand inter-relationships with the iconic Miramar® King & Queen of the Beach® and King & Queen of the Court® brands unfolded.
SINJIN SMITH
It all began first with Smith’s partnership with Karch Kiraly who ultimately won over 148 professional beach volleyball titles, 110 of them with Kent Steffes. Both were originally sponsored by Miramar® and King of the Beach® for years.
Kiraly is an Olympic Beach Volleyball Gold Medalist, an Indoor Olympic Volleyball Gold Medalist, and recently won Olympic Gold as the head coach for the US Women’s Indoor team, a feat never to be repeated. Kiraly is considered to be the greatest volleyball player of all time.
Smith and Kiraly, Winners of the 1980 Manhattan Beach Open. COURTESY: Manhattan Beach Recreation Department.
SMITH AND KIRALY, KINGS OF THE BEACH, WIN TOGETHER EARLY
The 1980 Natural Light Manhattan Beach Open champions Karch Kiraly, left, and Sinjin Smith receive their trophy from Mark Anderson, far left, of South Bay Distributing and Charlie Sakley, right, of the Manhattan Beach Recreation Department.
Sinjin Smith has celebrated over 150 Tournament wins in his career. Following Smith is his longtime partner, Randy Stoklos, at 122.
Together, Smith and Stoklos won a record 114 Opens together, and won over 50% of the opens they entered together while finishing in the top three 80% of the time. No team will ever match such greatness and it's why they are known as the "Kings of the Beach" and the "Kings of Rio." A Hip Hop song has even been coined in honor of these legends in Brazil, called the "Kings of Rio".
The next closest player behind these four from the top two teams is Emanuel Rego, with 78 total wins.
And, volleyball was about to become the hottest thing on the sand. Karch Kiraly, Kent Steffes, Sinjin Smith and Randy Stoklos are today’s world icons of the sport of volleyball, and undisputed “Kings of the Beach.”
Kiraly lead the US Men's Olympic Volleyball team to their first ever gold medal at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles. It was this US Victory in 1984 in Los Angeles helped propel the beach lifestyle from its early nostalgia into a mythical sport of royalty. Kings and Queens of the Beach cropped up each year, a title bestowed on the male or female player with the most victories over the past year.
The King of the Beach idea would incorporate the beach lifestyle and the philosophy of the times, "It’s good to be King". This energy has created an enlightened state to support this lifestyle and way of thinking.
In the early years, Ascher traveled with Miramar® sponsored King of the Beach Sinjin Smith and other Sideout® sponsored athletes on the beach tour around the world.
Great journeys to the World Championships of Beach Volleyball in Rio de Janiero, Brazil lead also to amazing surf adventures. Smith and Stoklos together dominated beach volleyball at the World Championships, together winning over 5 World Titles, earning the perpetual reputations an title of "The Kings of Rio."
Since these humble beginnings, the Miramar®, King & Queen of the Beach® and King & Queen of the Court® brands and concepts, and, these American Riviera Brands™ have spread across the world, developing their deep roots with the help of great watermen and beach athletes.
The greatest beach volleyball ever made, The Miramar® King of the Beach®, began initially together with Mikasa back in 1983. Miramar® partnered together with Spalding® from 2005 - 2020, a division of Fruit of the Loom®, and subsidiary of Warren Buffet’s Berkshire Hathaway. The best beach volleyball in the world is now clebrating 4o years today in 2023!
ABOUT BEACH LEGENDS AND THE MARK
The Miramar® "King of the Beach, King of the Court, Queen of the Beach and Queen of the Court" ("KOB") trademarks originate from the globally recognized moniker bestowed on many famous athletes in the world.
KARCH KIRALY
Charles Frederick "Karch" Kiraly (born November 3, 1960). Karch is an American volleyball player, icon, Head Coach of the US Womens National Team and broadcast announcer.
Karch is today considered the best volleyball player of all time by FIVB (The Fédération Internationale de Volleyball) and is also the only person on the planet to have ever won Olympic gold medals on the beach, indoor and as a Head Coach.
The FIVB, volleyball's highest governing body, honored Kiraly as the greatest volleyball player of the 20th Century.
Meet the best beach volleyball player of all time, Karch Kiraly, in this short video.
Pac-12 Men's Volleyball Player of the Century: Karch Kiraly
Former Bruin Karch Kiraly was named the Men’s Volleyball Player of the Century. Kiraly led UCLA to three national titles during his collegiate career, and was an All-American all four years. He was inducted into the UCLA Athletics Hall of Fame in 1993. In 2001, he was inducted in the Volleyball Hall of Fame and in 2005 he was inducted into the AVCA Volleyball Hall of Fame. UCLA was 126-5 during his career including two undefeated seasons (1979 & 1982). He won the gold medal at the 1984 Olympics, and was the captain and team MVP of the 1988 Olympic team that won the gold medal. He also won the gold medal at the 1987 Pan American Games, 1986 World Championships and 1985 World Cup. He also has a gold medal on the beach from the 1996 Olympics.
Karch currently endorses the Spalding King of the Beach® volleyballs and is considered the greatest volleyball player ever to step on the sand.
KING & QUEEN OF THE BEACH® and KING & QUEEN OF THE COURT®
Today, Miramar® makes every effort to bring authentic events and products from the beaches of the world to you!
Miramar® has matured from its humble beginnings on Miramar Beach, yet it continues to run off the same philosophy it started with. The Crown lifestyle now flows through its great products, to music, athletes, clothing and the best beach volleyball, surfing and fishing in the world.
Miramar is part of OMNICHANNEL WORLD, LLC, a world leader in apparel and accessories, developing many of the greatest retail media networks and content-led brands in the Fashion, Luxury, Sport & Lifestyle global market segments.
Copyright 1983-2023, Miramar®. All rights reserved.