Great point. With respect to Nationals I would say that both associations cater first and foremost to the egos of the coaches and the parents. It has little if anything to do with the players.
PGF perspective on the ASA JO Cup (2/20)
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JJsqueeze
Dad, Husband....legend
I don't know how bad of a move it was because I am not privy to all of the conversations that took place, but I doubt this was meant for players or coaches or parents. This reads to me like the audience for this is the ISF and USOC. And if you are going to make a play that you want to be the NGB then you have to present yourself as being the public face of fastpitch, and to do this you need to do things like come out and make statements like this, when better to do this than when your competition has just painted themselves into a corner?
His statement about the NGB relationship being unlikely to change is really telling, it tells me that conversations have already been had and they are getting a greenlight from somewhere that this is the right move.
His statement about the NGB relationship being unlikely to change is really telling, it tells me that conversations have already been had and they are getting a greenlight from somewhere that this is the right move.
PGF is not yet relevant on a national level in girls fastpitch - not saying they haven't been attracting the 'top' teams and it isn't relevant to those very few programs but really that is all they are doing with any large, broad success at the moment. They have a long, long way to go to reach the level of the broader orgs (ASA, USSSA, NSA, USFA, etc, etc) all who have greater and wider reach down to the lower levels (and for many regional based dominance depending on area) and are frankly way, way better funded (especially USSSA which is bankrolled by multiple youth sports).
Not saying they can't do it - just that they are many, many years away. And they haven't even touched slowpitch/mens/co-ed/other parts of the game yet which may not be as relevant in the USA, but are relevant to orgs like ISF who look at the game more globally. If PGF were trying to have conversations about future possibilities of opportunities as a governing body of softball with ISF/USOC at this point in time they deserve to be laughed at appropriately.
One other thought - and my 'real life' job is deeply involved in competitive products and strategies - this smacks of the PGF wishing they had thought of this angle first. Their competitor (i.e. ASA) has surprised them with this new product which has the potential to change the landscape in PGF's core area and product (i.e. catering to the very top end travel teams in fastpitch 16U/18U) and they are really unsure how this is going to effect their product and are concerned on how they are now going to compete. ASA has dangled two or three juicy prizes out there that will appeal to the target customer base and at least for this season PGF can't match the 'money prize' and will never be able to dangle the 'national team' carrot.
This is the first real challenge ASA has thrown PGF in this area. It will be interesting to see how the PGF reacts. If the ASA has even moderate success (and if I was them I would be using my leverage with USA Junior National Teams members to do so - you turn up or you wont be considered and I'd be backdooring some teams in with lesser fees to bulk numbers up), PGF is going to be in a position next year of needing to match with their own prize pool (which is going to be difficult to justify with this response) or come up with another way to entice teams.
One idea that comes to mind is for the PGF is to go the way of USSSA and get a team into the NPF or explore how to do pro or semi-pro softball in California/west coast (elite softball post-college), or a path for better run U23 summer tournaments. This would fit in well with their current 'elite' focus and also if done well, serves what is an under served market, and could be tied in some way back to their nationals tournaments. This an area ASA is currently avoiding and it could well raise the PGF's profile in a broader fashion.
It's like an arms race (no pun intended) it now looks like who can out do (spend) the other, while guess who is left with the tab. No question mark needed as we all know it's us.
JJsqueeze
Dad, Husband....legend
Some good points Marriard, PGF is indeed far weaker in numbers and I am sure their coffers are not as full as ASA, but my point is mostly that without knowing all the details, you never know what game is really afoot and who the players are. I can see PGF, USSSA, NPF all lining up against ASA. They are all big stakeholders in national fastpitch, albeit in different realms. They also all have a stake in how national teams are chosen and run and I can see this being the catalyst for some changes in the future. ASA dangling the JO team as a carrot is really a scummy move, not to mention the sliminess of an Amateur association offering prize money. This gives ALL of their competitors a lot of cover to do some maneuvering. In this case it just makes sense that they do it together.
I may be wrong and this is just a knee jerk response by PGF. I would not be surprised at all to find out that PGF actually found out that some top orgs were committing to this new tourney and this was their desperate attempt to stop the bleeding, but I also won't be surprised if other organizations come out with their own statements along similar lines.
As the Chinese proverb goes....we'll see.
I may be wrong and this is just a knee jerk response by PGF. I would not be surprised at all to find out that PGF actually found out that some top orgs were committing to this new tourney and this was their desperate attempt to stop the bleeding, but I also won't be surprised if other organizations come out with their own statements along similar lines.
As the Chinese proverb goes....we'll see.
Someone is going to have to explain the benefits of this free market system to me. If several companies are competing with each other to attract customers, the free market system says the consumer benefits because ultimately the price goes down or some other benefit is realized. I've seen the cost of TB go up and up over the years and I don't see where the players reaping the benefits of increased competition. This latest development makes me think even more players are going to be left out.
If this was the real business world, PGF would have been bought out by now. Maybe ASA tried with no luck, and answered with this move; I don't know. it's only a matter of time, IMO, before you see PGF with a new name on the banner. Mizuno, Easton, Nike, Asa, utrip, who knows?
This isn't the first time ASA tried using their JWNT as leverage and they picked a horrible time to do it again. Two years ago, ASA said players needed to play in their Gold events (later expanded to ASA/USA) in order to be identified for the JWNT. The result was a few players picked up with other teams to ALSO play Gold - it really isn't effective at coercing teams to switch. The result was less HS players were chosen than normal for the JWNT because they didn't have all the best in the selection camp.
It's ridiculous ASA put this carrot out again now, only weeks after the JWNT and WNT selection camps. They had around 100 players at the open tryouts for the JWNT selection camp, 10 advanced to the selection camp with the invitees and 4 were chosen for the JWNT. It was a very fair process that could mainly be improved by expanding the open tryouts to more sites across the country.
I wouldn't call PGF's numbers "weaker" since they are expanding while others are declining. I seriously doubt PGF will ever have overall numbers that approach ASA, LL, PONY or U-trip because that isn't their focus. Hay-maker will take any other business that comes his way, but PGF really isn't putting much effort into expanding their lower-level business. In some ways, it detracts from their main brand.
Marriard's idea of PGF expanding into 23U is interesting, however the potential seems very limited. We have a summer women's league here - a mixture of college players and some high-level 18U players/teams. It's fairly small and the players enjoy it because it is fun and loose.
ASA's coffers were hurting a few years ago due to a sharp decline in corporate sponsorships after softball was dropped by the Olympics. The ASA/USA FP championships losing their preeminent status at the same time certainly didn't help.
It's just like the designer clothes, car, ..etc. market. We have been programmed to equate elite status with price. Doesn't matter that the quality isn't all that different, you want to be seen with that brand logo on your chest, steering wheel, back pocket, and so on. The illusion that if you pay more you will get more.
