(ATR) World Baseball Softball Confederation president Riccardo Fraccari tells Around the Rings he’s now working to make sure the two sports are on the program of the 2024 Olympics.
Baseball and softball will return to the Games in Tokyo, 12 years after the two sports were last on the program. The IOC dropped the sports over the limited number of countries that contend for medals as well as the specialized venue required.
But with high interest in Japan for baseball and softball, Tokyo 2020 organizers made sure both were included among the optional sports that host cities are now allowed to select.
Fraccari says plans are in good shape for the Tokyo tournament that will feature six teams for each discipline.
"Our sport is number one in Japan and we hope to see one of the biggest ticket revenues for the Olympics," Fraccari tells ATR Editor Ed Hula in the latest edition of ATRadio.
The 30,000 seat Yokohoma Stadium will be the primary venue for the two sports. Some matches will be held in the area affected by the 2011 earthquake, three hours northeast.
Fraccari says with Los Angeles hosting 2028, the prospects for baseball are high. He sees Paris as the bridge between Tokyo and Los Angeles for the sports.
"We want to offer creative opportunity with minimal cost for Paris 2024. This federation has been working on a new national center for baseball and softball that should be ready by 2024," he says.
Fraccari notes that baseball is followed in Canada, the Caribbean and other Francophone locations.
"We are convinced that our sport can connect the global French-speaking community to the Games."
Fraccari is also excited about the growth of Baseball5, a street-style version of the sport with five players to a side instead of nine.
"It can play everywhere. It’s rapid. They play five innings in 16 minutes, so it’s fantastic," he said.
Baseball Five will be played in the 2018 Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires.
Reported byEd Hula.
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