WBSC’s 2020 Bid Boosted by World Cup of Softball’s Global Reach

The World Cup of Softball extensive worlwide reach has boosted World Baseball Softball Confederation’s (WBSC) 2020 inclusion bid.

ESPN is broadcasting the tournament across its family of networks for coverage in more than 140 countries. 

Games which were not shown live on ESPN were available through web streaming. High school broadcast students were given the opportunity to run the production and work behind the scenes with ESPN allowing for youth to be gain value experience and exposure in international web and television coverage.

The tournament has also demonstrated the capacity of softball, like baseball, to create an electrifying atmosphere in the tournament venue, the Hall of Fame Stadium, while also generating strong interest in the sport across Oklahoma City, the host city, the state and insoftball communities across America and around the world.

Players, fans and supporters highlighted their passion for the Olympic Games by wearing special WBSC Olympic Playball2020 campaign tattoos, and displayed banners and brochures calling for softball and baseball to be included at the Games, while signage, screens other demonstrations of Olympic support were on display in the main competition venue and the other surrounding venues.

The WBSC Olympic 2020 bid brings the full power of gender equality to the Olympic programme, with Softball offering the Olympic Movement a new opportunity for more women to participate at the Olympic Games. Softball provides new pathways into sport for women from all cultures and religions, and is popular among Muslim girls because it is a non-contact team sport that can be adapted to local culture and conditions.

WBSC co-president Don Porter said: “Sport is good for women, and softball at the Olympic Games would inspire more young girls into sport. That’s what we’re fighting for – for young women and girls to have the opportunity to realise their dreams and to go to the Olympic Games.”

At the professional level, baseball and softball are a $20 billion business worldwide, and are among the leading professional sports. Baseball is broadcast into 200 countries and the sport and its audiences are continuing to globalise and grow in key regions of the world including India, Africa, Middle East, Europe, Caribbean, South America and China, and the sport now boasts 250 million fans worldwide.

With 65 million active players around the world at various levels, baseball and softball currently rank as the largest sport not on the Olympic programme, and with the full support and resources of the sports’ professional partners, the potential for baseball and softball to become the next great global game is very real.

“The World Baseball Softball Confederation regards the Olympic Games as the highest honour and goal for every athlete and sport, and we will place our full global resources and passion for the Games at the disposal of the Olympic Movement,” co-president Fraccari said.