The
World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) today revealed its global
sponsorship partners for the upcoming XXX WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup, which
starts this Friday at Sarasota's Ed Smith Stadium and Bradenton's LECOM Park in
Florida, USA.
“The
line-up of great partners for our U-18 Baseball World Cup confirms that this
competition is one of the best U-18 World Cups in all of sports,” said WBSC
President Riccardo Fraccari. “These partners also enhance the delivery,
operation and on-field performance of the U-18 Baseball World Cup.”
Japan’s Nippon Express, a leading global logistics services company, officially becomes a WBSC Global Sponsor for all WBSC’s Baseball and Softball World Cups in 2022, including the U-18 Baseball World Cup.
JTB
Corporation, one of the largest travel agencies in the world, is also confirmed
as official tournament sponsor for the U-18 Baseball World Cup.
Iconic
Japanese baseball brand SSK is supplying the official competition ball and
umpire equipment.
Synergy
Sports, an innovative company in baseball’s technology sector, will support
with its coaching and scouting products and services.
While
sports drink giant Gatorade will supply isotonic drink at the event and Panini
America will develop baseball card products with autographs of the players participating
in the tournament.
Baseball’s
XXX U-18 World Cup will be contested over 50 games, with the world’s best young
baseball prospects and teams set to compete over nine days of competition at
LECOM Park and Ed Smith Stadium, spring training homes to Major League
Baseball’s Pittsburg Pirates and Baltimore Orioles, respectively.
Group
A features host No. 5 USA, No. 3 Korea, No. 8 Netherlands, No. 12 Canada, No.
25 Brazil and No. 26 South Africa.
Group
B features world No. 1 Japan, No. 2 Chinese Taipei, No. 4 Mexico, No. 10
Australia, No. 13 Panama and No. 17 Italy.
The
top three teams from Group A will play the top three teams from Group B in the
Super Round from 15-17 September, with the top two teams meeting 'For the Title
of World Champion' on Sunday, 18 September.
Chinese
Taipei heads into the competition as baseball’s defending U-18 World Champions.
Past
players who have participated in the WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup, along with
its continental qualifiers, have gone on to become some of the biggest
superstars in the sport.
The
XXX WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup had been originally set to take place in
September 2021 and was since rescheduled to September 2022 due COVID-19
restrictions.