Softball on the Decline?

[starsnuffer]

We can map our leagues enrollment numbers pretty steadily with the rise and fall of the economy. We had the most players under the second Clinton administration, decline during Bush, and a slow rise over the last four years. We also struggle with demographic changes. These days there is a lot of competition with cricket, less so Lacrosse, but Lacrosse is not a "new" sport out in California.

The problem with softball is that it requires dedicated softball specific facilities. You can play lacrosse on any softball, football, or plain open field. Land is expensive out here (and is how travel ball started, it's too expensive to build facilities in metro areas, so teams travel to BFE where facilities are more affordable). I don't think there's really an answer to that dilemma, but you can rest assured that booster groups that fund raised for softball fields won't let them be torn down for yet another flat grassy area.

-W

 

[ms244]

So you found an umpire that actually made a correct call? <sarcasm of course>

Great story and congrats! Hope she performs well next week.

 

[oswegoponysoftball]

I think its more of the economy then the sport itself. I have seen both baseball and softball numbers decline over the years.

 

[CycloneSoftball22]

Honestly , I think it is the year round commitment that softball has become that turns some girls off. I know of many girls in our area that have gravitated toward lower level volleyball and basketball. They would much rather enjoy many different sports than just focusing all their attentions on one particular. Most of them know their scholarship chances are better with academics than with sports anyway.

 

[wild man]

I guess it sounds like its up in some places Down in others. I think the electronic Gadgets are a contributing factor as well. There are Two Coaches that have told me the difficulty in learning Pitching as well as the Commitment Nessasary to be good are Factors. One Coach that gives Clinics Says he just doesent get the Sign ups for Clinics he got 5 years ago. I myself believe that Pitching a Softball is the hardest single skill in all of Sports to learn Correctly.

 

[quincy]

I did not want to go there because I did not know if softball meant fastpitch softball. Fastpitch is up this year, slowpitch (for youth girls) has always seemed to have been strong. It is a little cheaper and the word fastpitch seems to scare some people around here away.

I do think it fastpitch would be a better experience if pitching was better.

 

[Mylil32]

Softball seems to get bigger every year here in Georgia

 

[PEPPERS]

Softball seems to get bigger every year here in Georgia

Agree on that!

There are 4 new fields feet away from our house and you can't get parking.

 

[Greenmonsters]

Agree on that!

There are 4 new fields feet away from our house and you can't get parking.

Sounds like an opportunity for a new revenue stream to help support DD/crazy Daddy's habit. 25% discount if you have a DFP screen name?

 

[marriard]

As with all sports, if you want to be successful you need to continue to gain more exposure.

College Softball has started this with a huge increase in the amount of exposure on both national (ESPN/2/3/U) and local TV (Local Fox Sports/Sun/etc,etc). A great base to build on.

We need a senior league(s) to start to match this - it is inexcusable that California is not involved in developing a high profile Pro/Senior league. I am not there so I don't know if there is amateur/semi pro leagues going on in any way there. I think we all agree California is the #1 softball state - so there must be interest there to be successful.

NPF is a good start but it needs more exposure and more teams and more money. Senior leagues are important - regional divisions of the same or competing leagues or whatever - but you need more places for the great college players to move onto within the country.

Getting back into the Olympics would be great but is a long way off and I would say less than a 50% chance so not something you can rely on (but should be working hard at so it is harder to refuse entrance).

What I would like to see is more spectators at college games (and NPF). We seem to have the interest and commitment in the game from parent/players but I do not see these same people actually watching the games. Watching high level softball is CHEAP and we need to find a way to encourage more people to come out. Having the college teams come out and give away free tickets to all players at a travel tournament or rel league is the sort of idea needed to drive this. Even if 1 in 20 come (and bring one parent or coach) then that is the start of raising interest and developing a following. There is not enough being done around this.