City Wins Bids To Host National Girls’ Softball Tournaments in 2019, 2020

Bloomington, Ind. – The Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department announced today that the City, in partnership with Visit Bloomington, was successful in its bid to host a USA Softball tournament in 2020.

During the annual meeting in Oklahoma City Nov. 1, USA Softball Council members announced the host sites for the 2020 championship season. Bloomington will host the USA Softball Girls’ Class B 14-Under Fastpitch Northern National Championships in August 2020. About 30 teams are expected to compete.

Together, the City’s Parks Department and Visit Bloomington have hosted softball tournaments in Bloomington since 1992. During last year’s annual meeting, Bloomington won the privilege of hosting the USA Softball Girls’ Class B 16-Under Fastpitch Northern National Championships in August 2019.  About 50 teams are expected to compete in next year’s event.

"It’s an honor to carry on the tradition of hosting the USA Softball tournament here in Bloomington," Mayor John Hamilton said. “The event introduces so many people to our city, generates considerable economic activity, and is a lot of fun.  It’s great to have the capacity and the appeal as a city to be able to host a tournament on this scale."

At today’s council meeting, Bloomington was also awarded a James Farrell Award of Excellence for having hosted one of the highest rated tournaments in 2018: the Girls' Class A 16-Under Fastpitch Northern Nationals, held last July. According to USA Softball, a host city must receive an overall rating of 95 percent or more from the USA Softball Representative, Umpire-In-Chief and the National Office to win the Farrell Award.

Each year, the parks department partners with Visit Bloomington to represent the city at the USA Softball Council meeting, where hundreds of cities from across the U.S. showcase their communities’ venues, accessibility and other assets in the hopes of being selected as a tournament venue.

“We are grateful to be awarded another USA Softball Championship," said Mike McAfee, Executive Director of Visit Bloomington. “Our central location helps us attract teams from across the country and that is a win-win for both USA Softball and Bloomington. Our research tells us that sporting event visitors spend $158 per person per day while they are here. It’s a significant bump to the area economy just before our student population returns.”

In September, Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department was named the 2018 National Gold Medal Award Winner for Excellence in Park and Recreation Management by the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration, in partnership with the National Recreation and Park Association.  More information about the parks department or national softball tournaments in Bloomington is available at 812-349-3700.
 

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