Prince Albert: WBSC Junior Men’s Softball World Championship 2018 honoured with tourism award

Nine months after the conclusion of the WBSC Junior Men’s Softball World Championship 2018 (JMSWC), the event received another award in Canada, recognizing the economic and tourism impact in the community, and the sporting legacy in Prince Albert. This time, the JMSWC was named Tourism Saskatchewan Marquee Event of the Year, during the Saskatchewan Tourism Awards of Excellence Gala celebrated at TCU Place in Saskatoon.

Co-chairman of the tournament, Felix Casavant, and finance Co-chair Brett Casavant accepted the award representing the Local Organizing Committee, adding another accolade to the successful softball event.

The WBSC Junior Men’s Softball World Championship 2018 generated a profit of at least CAD$ 150,000, with a local economic impact of approximately CAD$ 10 million (almost US$ 7.6 million), including over 3,000 hotel room nights sold.

The high number of spectators throughout the 9-days event was one of the key factors for the success of the Softball World Championship, both on and off the field. The average attendance was 2,000 fans per day, including more than 5,000 for the round robin game between New Zealand and host team Canada.

The Softball World Championship also had a significant impact in Prince Albert’s community. As part of the master plan of the event, the city built a new diamond and expanded a second one, providing them with four regulation size fields, leaving a lasting legacy for the sport community.

Early this year, the event was finalist for the PRESTIGE Award of the Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance in the category of Canadian Sport Event of the Year for events with a budget of less then CAD$ 1 million. Besides, Casavant and co-chair Derek Smith were named in January the 61st Prince Albert Citizens of the Year.

The JMSWC is also finalist for the Samuel McLeod Business Awards, produced by the Prince Albert & District Chamber of Commerce and presented by Saskatchewan Polytechnic.The WBSC event is nominated in the categories of Community Involvement and Marketing. Award recipients will be named at the SMBA Gala on Thursday, April 18th at Ches Leach Lounge.