By Pete Saunders, BSF Technical Officer
There has been some confusion recently regarding bat eligibility for the 2022 season and beyond. This article is designed to clarify the current situation.
Domestic play
With regard to domestic softball play, the BSF intends to maintain the status quo for the foreseeable future. So to be legal in the UK, a bat needs to have a Softball USA (ASA) stamp or a WBSC (ISF) stamp and not be on the Softball USA/ASA non-approved bat list.
Examples of the approved stamps are below.
However, any teams and players likely to be playing in European tournaments, and particularly the Slowpitch World Cup in 2023, should be aware that further restrictions might be in place at such events, with only bats certified by the WBSC likely to be allowed.
Please be aware of this when buying new bats!
New WBSC and USA Softball Bat Certification Stamps
Both the WBSC and USA Softball have developed updated bat certification stamps to replace their former ISF and ASA stamps.
Both the new and the former WBSC and USA Softball certification stamps will continue to be accepted, as detailed below.
World Baseball Softball Confederation
With the transition from the ISF to the WBSC, new bat certification stamps have been developed for international play. The new logo will begin to appear on newly-manufactured bats this year; however, bats with the older 2005 stamp will continue to be accepted for competition. Bats must also be on the WBSC certified bat list.
Certified for use in ALL levels of Fast Pitch and Slow Pitch competition.
USA Softball
USA Softball has developed new stamps to transition from their ASA 2004 and ASA 2013 stamps. These stamps are equivalent to the former stamps as shown below and will begin to appear on newly-manufactured bats beginning this season. Bats with the older 2000, 2004 and 2013 stamps will continue to be accepted as previously. All bats must continue to remain on the approved bat list to be certified for use.
Certified for use in ALL levels of fastpitch and slowpitch competition.
Certified for use in Adult Men’s (Under-23 and Above) fastpitch competition ONLY and all slowpitch competition.
Questions?
Anyone with questions about any of the above can contact BSF Technical Officer Pete Saunders.