Tuesday 27 August -- With less than two weeks to go before the International Olympic Committee votes on which sport to add to the 2020 Olympic Games, the leaders of the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) have outlined how worldwide player, fan and commercial support for baseball and softball can help to enhance the Olympic Games if the sports are chosen.
The WBSC's campaign, which is baseball and softball's third attempt in eight years for reinstatement to the Olympic Games, highlights the advantages of adding baseball and softball as two formats of the same sport to the Olympic programme.
Eight years of work
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WBSC Co-Presidents Riccardo Fraccari and Don Porter said: "This campaign is the culmination of eight years of hard work to better understand how baseball and softball's massive worldwide support base among young people and players, along with its broadcast and sponsor appeal, can be presented in new ways that are in alignment with the priorities with the Olympic movement.
"We have listened and learned from the IOC about the importance of athlete experience as well as fan experience, and the need to provide an electrifying sporting atmosphere in the venues that will engage young people, the host nation and host city, as well as broadcast and new media audiences worldwide," the co-Presidents added. "We have reviewed our sports and improved key aspects of how baseball and softball can be presented at the 2020 Olympic Games.”
Key merger
Presidents Fraccari and Porter have stressed that the recommendation from the IOC to merge the International Baseball and Softball Federations to form a single entity was fundamental to adding value to the Olympic Games.
If included in the 2020 Olympics, baseball/softball will set a historic precedent, establishing women's softball and men's baseball as equal partners in an Olympic sport for the first time.
The Co-Presidents said that support from all the professional baseball and softball leagues around the world for the Olympic inclusion campaign had also been important.
Added value
The campaign focus has been on how baseball and softball can deliver added value to the Olympic Games, including:
A new sustainable sports model. Baseball and softball will present shorter, higher-impact six-day Olympic sports tournaments in the same compact venue to reduce costs and logistical demands on Olympic host cities and organising committees.
New audiences, markets and territories. With more than 65 million athletes at all levels in over 140 countries and with more than 150 million fans filling venues worldwide in 2012, baseball and softball are clearly among the most popular sport in the world.
"We believe that the Olympic Games is the pinnacle for every athlete and every sport, and if included, we will make all our resources available to the Olympic family," the WBSC Co-Presidents said.
You can add your support to baseball/softball's Olympic campaign and follow the latest updates via Facebook, Twitter @playball2020 or the official website for the campaign playball2020.com.