2024 National Championships
Planned dates for 2024 BSF National Championships are below:
BSF SINGLE-SEX SLOWPITCH NATIONALS
Men: Platinum, Gold, Silver and Bronze
Women: Platinum, Gold, Silver and Bronze
15-16 June (venuer TBC)
BSF CO-ED SLOWPITCH LEAGUE NATIONALS
Platinum, Gold, Silver and Bronze
10-11 August at Farnham Park
Qualifying teams will be based on league results from the 2023 season.
BSF NSL1 AND NSL2 NATIONALS
August 31- September 1 at Farnham Park
These National Championships are for the top eight teams that qualify from league play in National Softball League 1, National Softball League 2 and National Softball League 3 during the 2024 season.
BSF Nationals Rules and Regulations
Dispensations for National Championships. There is a general feeling that requests for dispensations for Co-ed Slowpitch National Championships have got out of hand in recent years, and in 2019 the BSF Executive made some decisions designed to tighten up the system:
- There will be a deadline for requesting dispensations, two weeks before each tournament, and the only requests that will be considered after that are medical or other emergencies that have arisen between the deadline and the tournament.
- No team will be granted dispensations for more than three players.
- If a team can field six men and six women from its own roster, no dispensations will be granted.
- Replacement players must be from the same level of play or lower.
The BSF’s intention is to apply these rules firmly but fairly to reduce abuses of the system.
Uniform Rules. The BSF has restated its uniform requirements for teams at National Championships:
- All players must wear matching tops.
- Players can wear trousers or shorts, but all must be the same base colour.
NSL and the Nationals
Here is a summary of what teams need to know about how the National Softball League and Softball National Championships will function in 2024 and beyond.
The current NSL structure is 12 teams in NSL1, NSL2, and NSL3, with eight teams qualifying for National Championships through three weekends of league play. In 2024, there could be some changes to the structure below NSL2, including the possible introduction of an NSL4, but this will depend on how many pitches are available at Farnham Park.
There is a two-team promotion and relegation exchange between all the NSL divisions. The two teams that finish at the bottom of NSL3 will leave the structure and be replaced by two new teams.
In 2024, NSL league play will take place at Farnham Park. But comments at a recent League Heads Forum suggeted some desire to see NSL competition at more tournaments and locations around the country. Northern and Scottish teams and players, in particular, would welcome not having to travel to the South East every time to compete in the NSL. In future, perhaps NSL tournaments can be awarded to leagues through a bidding system, as was the case with National Championships in the past.
Previous National Champions
Below are previous National Championship winners, and the list shows that there has been a change since 2018, with new teams winning the NSL1 Nationals after years of domination by the Pioneers and Chromies.
2023 -- H20
2022 -- H20
2021 -- Travelling Dodgers
2020 -- No Nationals were played due to the Covid pandemic.
2019 – Windsor Knights
2018 – Pioneers
2017 -- Chromies
2016 -- Pioneers
2015 -- Chromies
2014 – Chromies
2013 – Chromies
2012 – Chromies
2011 – Pioneers
2010 – Pioneers
2009 – Chromies
2008 – Dragons
2007 – Chromies
2006 – Chromies
2005 – Slammers
2004 – Chromies
2003 – Stingrays
2002 – Pioneers
2001 – Baker Tomkins
2000 – Baker Tomkins
1999 – Baker Tomkins
1998 – Baker Tomkins
1997 – Chromies (then known as Superchrome)
1996 – Windsor Dodgers
1995 – Genies
1994 – Slammers
1993 – Isherwood
1992 – Slammers
1991 – Meteors
1990 – Sliders
1989 – Pirates
1988 – London New Zealand
1987 – Pirates
NSL 2 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP WINNERS
2023 -- The Mob
2022 -- Tempest
2021 -- Tempest
2020 -- No Nationals were played due to the Covid pandemic.
2019 – Tempest
2018 – Manchester Mavericks
2017 – SPAM
NSL 3 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP WINNERS
2023 -- Storm
2022 -- Blitz Havoc
2020 and 2021 --No NSL3 Nationals were played due to the Covid pandemic.
2019 – Spittin’ Camels
2018 – Misfits