BRADENTON AND SARASOTA, Fla. – USA Baseball, in partnership with the Sarasota-Bradenton Local Organizing Committee and the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC), today announced the postponement of the WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup in Bradenton and Sarasota, Florida, to 2022 due to the continued impact of the COVID-19 pandemic both domestically and internationally.
The event was set to take place
from September 10-19, 2021, at Ed Smith Stadium and LECOM Park, the Spring
Training homes of the Baltimore Orioles and the Pittsburgh Pirates,
respectively.
The new dates for the event in 2022
will be announced at a later time. All tickets already purchased for the 2021
event will be refunded in a timely manner. Updated ticketing information will
be provided when the rescheduled dates are announced.
“As we continue to monitor the global
COVID-19 pandemic, the WBSC, as well as our hosts and all concerned
stakeholders, consider the rescheduling of the U-18 Baseball World Cup to 2022
to be the best and safest course of action,” said WBSC President Riccardo
Fraccari.
“While today’s decision is
disappointing, it is taken with the safety of all participants in mind. I am
confident that our U.S. hosts next year will be able to deliver a fantastic U-18
Baseball World Cup, where fans can fill the stadiums and cheer on their
favourite National Teams, building upon the wave of momentum for our sport following
the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
“The WBSC thanks the local
authorities, USA Baseball, and the cities of Bradenton and Sarasota for their
support and collaboration.”
“We are disappointed to postpone
welcoming what will be one of the premier baseball events in the world to our
home soil; however, we fully support the decision in light of the continued
impact the coronavirus pandemic is having around the globe,” said Paul Seiler,
USA Baseball’s Executive Director and CEO. “Ultimately, it is about protecting
the health and safety of the players, coaches, and staff, as well as the local
communities in Florida, and this decision allows us to achieve that to the best
of our abilities. We will continue to move forward and be ready to host a truly
spectacular event in front of our home fans next year.”
The WBSC awarded the hosting rights
to the United States, and Bradenton and Sarasota, Florida, due to its
tremendous resume of hosting international and youth sports competitions,
including the 2017 World Rowing Championships and the 2017-2018 International
Triathlon World Cups. Located on Florida’s Gulf Coast region, Bradenton and
Sarasota are south of Tampa Bay and are known for award-winning beaches and a
long history of arts and culture.
“We completely support the World
Baseball Softball Confederation and USA Baseball’s decision to postpone this
year’s event,” said Virginia Haley, president of Visit Sarasota County. “The
safety and wellbeing of our visitors is our top priority, and we understand the
current challenges faced particularly by international competitions. We look
forward to working with our partners over the next year to ensure the 2022
World Cup is a truly unforgettable experience for our visiting teams and fans.”
“The World Baseball Softball
Confederation has the full support of the Bradenton Area Sports Department in its
decision to postpone this year’s tournament,” said Bradenton Area Convention
and Visitors Bureau Executive Director Elliot Falcione. “We look forward to
continue working with USA Baseball to make the U-18 Baseball World Cup a great
experience for the teams and visitors in 2022, and to introducing the
international baseball community to the Bradenton-Sarasota area.”
Fans can continue to receive updates about the WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup by visiting SarasotaBradenton2021.com or by following @SARBRAD on Instagram and Twitter.