MLB and the MLBPA yesterday in Cincinnati announced a $30M joint initiative aimed at sparking growth in youth baseball and softball participation in the U.S. and Canada. Building upon prior efforts such as the recently announced Play Ball and the RBI program, the new initiative will invest in training and recognition programs for coaches, matching grants for youth baseball academies, and defraying expenses for inner-city youth players to compete in elite-level showcases typically populated by suburban players. “The programs that are already out there are great, but this is an opportunity to make them even better and make even more of an impact in this area,” said MLBPA Exec Dir Tony Clark. The funds will be split between the league and union, and come in part from revenue sources that are already jointly administered such as competitive balance taxes and some international funds. The two sides will also create a new 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that will accept donations from players, other club personnel, corporations and the general public to further the youth development effort. “Kids today have lots of alternatives, certainly way more than when I was a kid. And we have to be competitive in that space,” said MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred, who already had made youth participation a key priority of his early tenure. “We have to be competitive in getting kids to play our game, and competitive in encouraging parents to get kids to a ballpark at an early age.” Among the additional early activations of the initiative will be a new Elite Development Invitation for players aged 13-16 in minority and underserved backgrounds, slated for July 18-30 in Vero Beach, Fla.
