100 Days to WBSC Premier12 top international baseball event of the year, Olympic qualifier
Today marks 100 days to the biggest international baseball event on this year’s calendar, the II WBSC Premier12, which will be a global battle between the Top 12 ranked Men’s National Teams in the world and also serve as an Olympic qualifier for the Tokyo 2020 Games.
“We are only 100 days away from seeing some of the most historic and important international baseball games in history, and the WBSC Premier12 will also help build the excitement for next year’s Olympic Games in Tokyo, where baseball and softball will make a historic comeback as one of the main attractions.” — WBSC President Riccardo Fraccari
LAUSANNE, Switzerland — Today marks 100 days to the biggest international baseball event on this year’s calendar, the II WBSC Premier12, which will be a global battle between the Top 12 ranked Men’s National Teams in the world and also serve as an Olympic qualifier for the Tokyo 2020 Games.
A series of milestones have been passed ahead of the 100-day mark, including a recent landmark agreement to award Spain’s global media giant, MEDIAPRO, the exclusive broadcasting rights of the 2019 WBSC Premier12 across the Americas.
It was also recently announced that game clocks and video replay will be introduced for the second edition of the Premier12. Swiss luxury watch brand HUBLOT will be the Official Timekeeper of the 2019 WBSC Premier12, with leading Japanese brands and 2015 Premier12 sponsors ASAHI BREWERIES, LTD., gaming giant GungHo Online Entertainment, Inc. and NISSAN MOTOR CO.,LTD. all returning.
Iconic baseball brand SSK days ago revealed the Official Ball and Umpire Kit of the 2019 WBSC Premier12.
“Following a successful launch of this new global baseball tournament in 2015, the excitement of the Premier12 continues to grow and gain momentum,” said Fraccari. “With four great hosts across four nations, and with 100 days to opening day, the 2019 Premier12 is on track to be one of the top international sporting events of the year, helping to put a global spotlight on baseball.”
The II WBSC Premier12 2019 will be staged over 32 games from 2-17 November — with opening rounds in Guadalajara, Mexico; Taichung and Taoyuan, Taiwan; and Seoul, Korea.
Host of Group A in Guadalajara, the Charros de Jalisco professional baseball club of the Mexican Pacific League (LMP), expects an economic impact of $31 million USD to be generated for the region (in accordance with official government estimates/data). Group A features world No. 2 USA, No. 6 Mexico, No. 8 Netherlands and No. 12 Dominican Republic.
The Chinese Taipei Baseball Association (CTBA) is the host of Group B, which will be played at Taichung Intercontinental Baseball Stadium and Taoyuan International Baseball Stadium. The group features world No. 1 Japan, No. 4 Chinese Taipei, No. 9 Venezuela and No. 11 Puerto Rico.
The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) — the nation’s top sports league — is the host of Group C at the Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul, which features No. 3 Korea, No. 5 Cuba, No. 7 Australia and No. 10 Canada. The Korean National Team will enter as the defending Premier12 and Olympic Champions.
The top two teams from each group will advance to Japan and play in the Super Round, which will determine who will be in the Final.
Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) — the world’s second biggest professional sports league by annual attendance — will host the Super Round and Finals at Chiba’s ZOZO Marine Stadium and the Tokyo Dome.
Upcoming milestones include the revealing of player rosters, which will be one of the most anticipated moments leading to the 2019 WBSC Premier12.
