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Minor leagues join MLB youth initiative

Major League Baseball is enlisting the affiliated minor leagues as part of the third major phase of its Play Ball youth engagement effort.

The Play Ball program encourages youth participation in baseball and softball.
Photo by: GETTY IMAGES
Minor League Baseball has become an official partner of Play Ball and the organization’s 160 clubs will take part in the second annual Play Ball Weekend, scheduled for June 3-4. MiLB will stage other events throughout the summer to promote youth participation in baseball and softball. A formal event to help launch the combined MLB/MiLB Play Ball efforts will be held June 2 at the Class AAA Oklahoma City Dodgers’ Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark.

The inclusion of MiLB represents a significant increase in scale for the Play Ball campaign, introduced in 2015 early in the tenure of MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred. The program, also involving USA Baseball and the U.S. Conference of Mayors, was expanded last year with the rollout of Play Ball Weekend and its promotional activities both on game broadcasts and in person at ballparks. MiLB has drawn in excess of 41 million in attendance each of the last 12 years, and more than three-quarters of Americans live within the market territory of an affiliated minor league club.

“This is really additive to what MLB has been doing with Play Ball,” said MiLB President Pat O’Conner. “To bring in an additional 160 markets really expands the reach and scope of what this campaign is all about, and is a natural and organic evolution for both MLB and us.”

MiLB’s entry into the Play Ball initiative arrives as the sport last week at MLB owners’ meetings in New York received a jolt of good news regarding long-declining youth participation in baseball and softball. The Sports & Fitness Industry Association reported to MLB club owners that overall baseball participation rose 7.7 percent in 2016 and slow-pitch softball participation grew 8.1 percent, with casual participation in each sport growing by even higher percentages.

League officials credited the participation spike to not only the two years of Play Ball efforts but work on older programs such as Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities during the tenure of former MLB Commissioner Bud Selig.

“We’re very encouraged with the progress we’ve made to date, and remain intent on making baseball available to as many kids as we can, and eliminating barriers to entry,” said Tony Reagins, MLB senior vice president for youth programs.

Beyond the scale MiLB provides the initiative, the minor leagues have long been recognized around sports for their ability to appeal to families and children.

“This really allows us to amplify our message and provide a much more cohesive narrative around our trying to increase youth participation,” Reagins said.

Financial terms for MiLB’s participation in Play Ball were not disclosed, but O’Conner said the costs “are not terribly expensive,” and will be primarily borne by individual MiLB clubs as they stage youth events in their respective markets.

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