Youth Baseball Alliance

Hi,
This is Ronaldo. Youth baseball associations had a dream of establishing a true national championship tournament for young players across America. As part of the new Major Youth Baseball Alliance, the inaugural tournament will feature under-10 and under-12 divisions.
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Ronaldo

This looks like a good event; I take it that the winners of the various organizations’ championships are who qualifies for the National Championship event.

I don't know if LL would get involved as it similar to some of the other organizations have a specific qualification criteria to play in their events, a little league team is very limited by the geographic boundaries based on population. Unlike AAU, Super Series, etc which players may come from a much larger or even an unlimited area.

I think you will see some organizations teams will have an advantage over others due to their qualification process of the team’s players, but I like the event.

Do I support national travel teams at age 10u or even 12u, well that is another topic....

The National Youth Baseball Championship is getting full commitments from:

- American Amateur Baseball Congress (AABC)
- Amateur Athletic Union (AAU)
- Babe Ruth League/Cal Ripken
- Dixie Youth Baseball
- National Amateur Baseball Federation (NABF)
- PONY Baseball
- United States Specialty Sports Association (USSSA)
- Super Series Baseball of America

And, most importantly Major League Baseball, who will stream the event via MLB.com... Then next year when the MLB Channel goes live on DirecTV, it should/could be televised...

Should be some very exciting stuff!

I hate to be negative, but can some explain to me why youth baseball needs yet another championship?

LL, Pony, Babe Ruth league teams start playing in March (April in colder climates) and they continue through August with their own championships based on their league rules. Why is more baseball required and why in the world would LL support it? I predict they will not as it adds nothing to promoting baseball to a wide range of kids.

After all of this baseball kids at this age need to get involved in another sport and branch out and have fun.

As far as travel ball for 10 YO - give me a break. There will be plenty of time for competitive baseball when they get in their teens.

Just sounds like a way for the MLB to try to garner more $$.

quote:

can some explain to me why youth baseball needs yet another championship

Because players like to play, parents like to bask, promoters like to promote, sponsors like to sponsor and fans like to be fans.
As long as there are enough willing participants in each of these areas there will be additional tournaments. That doesn't necessarily make it good or bad its just the way it is. One does not have to participate to enjoy baseball and/or their son. After reading the email I received today from my son's former coach (and current director of the tournament's location) I think it is offers as much an any other tournament in that age group that I am familiar with. I look for it to be a big success.
Fungo

I for one am all for this! It appears that with the organizations showing interest (all I believe have a "national championship") a "true" national champion can be crowned.

Let's hope they expand into other age groups.

quote:

Originally posted by Fungo:
Because players like to play, parents like to bask, promoters like to promote, sponsors like to sponsor and fans like to be fans.
As long as there are enough willing participants in each of these areas there will be additional tournaments.

Oh you capitalistic pig....

Sure I get this part, makes sense. However if my son (pitcher) was playing on one of these teams and had worked his way through all of the regionals, sectionals, etc, playing all the way through and then by the time August rolled around the last thing I would do is let him continue on to yet another championship and destroying his arm.

As far as norstar's a true "national champion", sorry to say there is no such thing as all of these league's play under different rules. Remember these are 10-12 YO kids so who cares about a "national champion" for a 12YO, give me a break.

How could this top the LL world series anyway?

As far as expansion into older groups USA Baseball is doing just that quite nicely thank you.

Again I just see a money grab at the expense of our youth..

quote:

Originally posted by BOF:

As far as norstar's a true "national champion", sorry to say there is no such thing as all of these league's play under different rules. Remember these are 10-12 YO kids so who cares about a "national champion" for a 12YO, give me a break.

How could this top the LL world series anyway?

As far as expansion into older groups USA Baseball is doing just that quite nicely thank you.

Again I just see a money grab at the expense of our youth..

Oh yea, they do play different rules at the 10U and 12U ages.... besides having totally different qualification criteria and roster restrictions, at least on program does not leadoff (LL), I remember the first time we played in a Pony type tournament our kids were soooo confused when the other teams just took off! It was so funny!

And they play with different size bats!

quote:

Again I just see a money grab at the expense of our youth..

... How...? It's 8 Teams from each age group from 8 different organizations...? Around 100 kids possibly from the 2 age groups...?

How much money can possibly that possibly garner...?

We play in local (FL) USSSA tournaments with 20-24 teams on some weekends...

Now THAT'S a money-maker...!

OK maybe this is coming from a lack of knowledge as I have not read any of the material on this event, but the more I think about this the more I think the idea is stupid.

USSSA, Superseries, etc already have their championship system. LL does a fine job with their World Series - which by the way is REALLY a World Series. USA baseball is doing a great job from 14U on up.

So what is this going to accomplish than create an event where young pitchers arms can be further abused? From what I understand the target is teams that have already won their "championships", and have already pitched their arms out. As Homerun has already pointed out they play under different rules. So what is the point?

While you are explaining this also tell me why a 10YO should care anything other than playing baseball with his buddies and chasing frogs?

Frogs...?

Anyway, live streaming starts at 10:30 am EST...

http://www.mlb.com/youthmajors/events/event_nybc.jsp

quote:

... How...? It's 8 Teams from each age group from 8 different organizations...? Around 100 kids possibly from the 2 age groups...?

How much money can possibly that possibly garner...?

I had a discussion with one of the President's of a participating organization last spring. It was pretty clear that these groups resent the $$ that Little league makes off the LLWS every year. The TV revenue is apparently huge and these guys eventually want a piece of this lucative pie.

After watching several of the 10U games and the LLWS. The level of play at 10U games to me is better than the level of LLWS.

quote:

Originally posted by rbinaz:

I had a discussion with one of the President's of a participating organization last spring. It was pretty clear that these groups resent the $$ that Little league makes off the LLWS every year. The TV revenue is apparently huge and these guys eventually want a piece of this lucative pie.

I tried to watch some of both over the weekend; it was obvious that LL had a totally different advantage in terms of sponsorships. The TV coverage was much better, the players had uniforms and equipment provided to them, the support systems were better, and the obviously the attendance was night and day. I would not say the overall player’s ability was that much lower than those who where at the YBA.

I can appreciate what the Youth Baseball Alliance is doing, though even within the tournament, the programs that are actual leagues had a disadvantage to those who are straight tournament teams without roster restrictions.

There was a difference in the games with respect to the rules and dimensions of the field, but in the end, it was about the participation that counts, are the LL'er at a disadvantage at the next level, maybe, but by the time they get into high school, it most likely will all even out.

quote:

Originally posted by Homerun04:
...I would not say the overall player’s ability was that much lower than those who where at the YBA.

I have tried to stay out of this discussion because I think LL and travel ball both have merits and we can debate all day long. However, Homerun04, you must be kidding about the level of play being the same, right?! Please go to the website and watch the 12:U semi-final game between Chet Lemon's Juice and Norwalk, Ca. That was better played than some high school games!!! I enjoy LL and it has its benefits and merits, but no way is the quality of play equal to what I saw at that YBA.

quote:

are the LL'er at a disadvantage at the next level, maybe, but by the time they get into high school, it most likely will all even out.

I agree 100%. They may be behind the first year on the "big field", but they quickly catch up. IMO, there's no DISadvantage to playing LL until 12yrs old.

Another thing to consider is the additional travel of the families. These folks have already travled and been off work, in the case of Babe Ruth/Cal Ripken to State Tourneys/ Regional tournys and World Series. It was just to much for our parents to be off work again and travel again.

quote:

Originally posted by GapFinder:
Another thing to consider is the additional travel of the families. These folks have already travled and been off work, in the case of Babe Ruth/Cal Ripken to State Tourneys/ Regional tournys and World Series. It was just to much for our parents to be off work again and travel again.

What you seem to be missing is, the organizations at the highest levels don’t care! There’s an understanding, and I believe an accurate one, that if Johnny’s parent’s can’t afford it, Billy’s will. Now Billy may not be quite the ball player Johnny is, but the drop off won’t be that noticeable, and the games can still go on, and there’ll be lots of money to go around.

Of course what they don’t realize is, every time that’s done, the overall quality is diminished, even if its just a bit. Once that original mindset sets in, picking players will become more and more about $$$$$$$$$, and less and less about skills.

I know that for CR the 10 yr old WS winner did not go, the 2nd place team did not go, etc etc, all the way down to the 6th place team finally accepted.
Our parks team was invited but because of cost and time away from work, we declined. Of course the head coach was unable to make it because his oldest was winning the BR World Series.

They still had the tournament but the draw of haveing the World/National Champion from each of the organizations did not happen, and without that it is really just another every weekend tournament

I hope folks don’t get the impression that I’m against kids having fun by playing baseball. If anything, that’s exactly what I’m for! Its just my opinion that one-ups-man-ship, playing for the glory, and the wild and crazy $$$$$ it takes to participate in “National” tournaments for any kids prior to HS, has just gotten way whacked!

Heck, even the LLWS has gone a bit over the top, but what can anyone do? The LLWS went up against not just regular TV, but pre-season NFL, regular season MLB, and the freakin’ Olympics, and either beat them or came out pretty equal to them all. That’s some mighty powerful advertising $$$$$$, I assure you.