During the inaugural World Baseball Softball Day on 10 May, WBSC President Riccardo Fraccari marked six months to go to the Premier12 2024 presented by RAXUS by unveiling the official trophy which will honour the winner of the WBSC's flagship tournament.
The Premier12 trophy is made of polished silver-plated brass with special details in 24k gold-plated. It is contained in a customised trolley. The base diameter is 35 centimetres (13,78 inches). The trophy is 78 centimetres (30.7 inches) high and weighs 12 kilograms (26.46 pounds).
Italian goldsmith Fratelli Pazzaglia (Pisa, Italy) manufactured the trophy designed by the branding agency Works. The designers started with a 2D/3D drawing and used a 3D CAD-CAM machine.
The trophy was then redesigned to accurately conceptualise its three-dimensional form. In the process, individual brass components are meticulously produced using CNC 3/5-axis machine tools, with attention to every minute detail. In line with the esteemed tradition of Italian artisans, both laser and traditional machine tools are employed in the manufacturing process.
The various parts of the trophy undergo hand-finishing. The pieces are subjected to galvanic processes to achieve distinct chromatic effects. The artisans apply gold and silver during the process. Each component receives either a polished or satin finish. The trophy's base features enamelled and glazed flags representing the twelve participating teams.
The final and crucial step is assembling the trophy. During this phase, all components are meticulously assembled with extreme care, adhering to the most rigorous Italian artisanal standards.
The Premier12, WBSC's Flagship Event, is the most important baseball tournament of 2024. The 12 participants qualified through the WBSC/KONAMI World Rankings.
Group A will open on 10 November at the Charros de Jalisco Pan American Stadium in Guadalajara, Jalisco, and the Santa Teresita Stadium in Tepic, Nayarit, Mexico.
Group B will open on 13 November, with Japan playing Australia at the Vantelin Dome Nagoya. The other Day 1 games will be held at the Taipei Dome and the Tianmu Stadium in Taipei City. The Taipei Dome and Tianmu Stadium will host the remaining 12 games until 18 November.
After round-robin play, the top two finishers of each group will compete in the Super Round. The first and second-place teams of the Super Round will compete in the Premier12 Championship game, while the third and fourth-place finishers will play for a bronze medal.
The Tokyo Dome will host the Super Round (21-23 November) and the medal games on 24 November.
The complete game schedule for the Premier12 2024 presented by RAXUS will be announced soon.
