Rome, Italy – On Saturday, February 25, 2017, at the Executive Meeting of the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC), President Riccardo Fraccari announced the USSSA’s application to become an Associate Member of the WBSC whad been approved by the WBSC Executive Board. The world governing body of the sports of baseball and softball, and headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland, the WBSC has 208 National Federation Members in 141 countries and territories. Baseball and Softball organizations are also included and form an arm of the WBSC as Associate Members and USSSA is proud to announce that they have been given this prestigious honor.
“USSSA is celebrating its 50th Anniversary this year so this announcement couldn’t have come at a better time” remarked USSSA Chairman of the Board and CEO, Don DeDonatis. “President Fraccari is a world sport administrator and to have him recognize what USSSA contributes to both baseball and softball is the epitome of acknowledgement of what we have all believed and professed to, which is that the world’s largest multi-sport organization & its 4.5 million membership has made an impact around the world”.
USSSA and the WBSC began this journey as player/coach development partners as both organizations recognized the need for developmental programs in the growth of sports on a worldwide level. The next logical step in that relationship for USSSA was to apply for WBSC Associate Membership, of which, USSSA’s application was approved by the Executive Committee of the WBSC this past Saturday.
With the addition of the USSSA Florida Pride, USSSA’s namesake representation in the National Professional Fastpitch League, to the USSSA family 9 years ago, the growth of the USSSA Fastpitch program and the 20 year anniversary and 1 million member mark in USSSA Baseball, this honor, this recognition of USSSA’s contribution to the sports of baseball and softball, proves once again that USSSA is on the right track, the fast track to being recognized as one of the leaders and difference makers in diamond sports.
The WBSC, as well as its partners and membership, now opens doors worldwide for USSSA to expand its brand and to grow the sports that put it on the map some 50 years ago. The world is truly the limit!