Press Release World Baseball Classic Inc.
New 16-Team Qualifying Round to Include 12 New Countries – Host Venue Selection Process Launches
World Baseball Classic, Inc. (WBCI) today announced, with the endorsement of the tournament Steering Committee, the introduction of a new World Baseball Classic Qualifying Round for the 2013 World Baseball Classic which will expand the competitive field from 16 to 28 countries. The new round will feature 16 teams divided into four pools of four teams each. The teams invited to participate will include the four World Baseball Classic teams from 2009 that did not win a game. The 16 countries receiving Qualifying Round invitations are:
- Brazil
- Canada*
- Chinese Taipei*
- Colombia
- Czech Republic
- France
- Germany
- Great Britain
- Israel
- New Zealand
- Nicaragua
- Panama*
- Philippines
- South Africa*
- Spain
- Thailand
*Participated in the 2009 World Baseball Classic
The Qualifying Round games will take place in Fall 2012 and each of the four pools will feature a six-game modified double-elimination format. The composition of the pools will be determined once the Qualifying Round venues are selected and will be based on geographical location, competitive balance and regional rivalries.
The winners from each qualifying pool will advance into the World Baseball Classic tournament, scheduled for March 2013. Those four teams will join the 12 countries – Australia, China, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Kingdom of the Netherlands, Puerto Rico, United States and Venezuela – that receive automatic invitations based on their performance in the 2009 tournament.
“Growing the game of baseball around the globe is the primary objective of the World Baseball Classic. By expanding the competitive field of the 2013 tournament, we are demonstrating our commitment to this goal and reinforcing that the World Baseball Classic is the premier showcase of baseball around the globe,” said Major League Baseball Commissioner Allan H. (Bud) Selig. “The tournament is a unique experience for fans to witness the excitement of this great game and I encourage organizations around the world to bid for the chance to host this wonderful baseball event.”
“The expansion of the World Baseball Classic from 16 to 28 teams is a testament to the sport’s continuing growth in participation and popularity around the world,” said Major League Baseball Players Association Executive Director Michael Weiner. “The overwhelming fan, player and media support bestowed upon the first two World Baseball Classics is at the root of this decision, which makes the World Baseball Classic a truly global competition.”
WBCI determined the 12 new teams for the Qualifying Round based on criteria established to create the most competitive international baseball event in the world. Some of the key factors involved in team evaluation and selection included: strength of native player base, number of professional players, IBAF international rankings, viability of domestic baseball programs, participant’s impact on baseball development in country/territory and diverse global representation.
World Baseball Classic Inc. also announced the commencement of the venue selection process for hosts of the four Qualifying Round pools, as well as the 2013 World Baseball Classic games. Parties including MLB Clubs, governments, international federations, promotional and event companies are invited to formally express interest in hosting a pool, or pools, of the tournament. Interested parties will be provided a formal bid document including detailed requirements and bid submission guidance. WBCI welcomes bids from bidding groups who can deliver a strong and compelling bid that effectively combines both public and private support for promoting and hosting part of the World Baseball Classic. The bidding process for the Qualifying Round venues is expected to conclude by September 2011 with the venues for the World Baseball Classic tournament to be finalized by December 2011.
Added Riccardo Fraccari, President of the IBAF, baseball’s world governing body: “On behalf of the IBAF and its 119 national federations, it is wonderful that the quality of baseball internationally has warranted the expansion of the World Baseball Classic. The expansion to 28 teams will be beneficial not only for the worldwide development of baseball, but also to raise the technical level of play in many countries that were previously unable to compete at such levels. The tremendous passion and interest from players, fans and the international community makes the World Baseball Classic a special celebration of the game of baseball.”
About World Baseball Classic, Inc.
World Baseball Classic, Inc. is a company created at the direction of Major League Baseball (MLB) and the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) to operate the World Baseball Classic tournament. The tournament, which is sanctioned by the International Baseball Federation (IBAF), is supported by MLB, the MLBPA, Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB), the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO), their respective players associations and other leagues and players from around the world.
About the Steering Committee
The World Baseball Classic Steering Committee consists of 12 members representing professional baseball leagues, Club owners, players, the International Baseball Federation, international baseball federations and other international organizations affiliated with the game of baseball (for a complete list of members, see below). The Steering Committee provides ongoing guidance regarding the development of the premier international baseball tournament, the World Baseball Classic. The focus of the committee is to ensure that the tournament continues to maximize its potential to develop the game of baseball worldwide.
Steering Committee Members
Major League Baseball (2)
Tim Brosnan, Rob Manfred
MLB Players Association (2)
Michael Weiner, Timothy Slavin
International Baseball Federation (2)
Riccardo Fraccari, Israel Roldan
Nippon Professional Baseball (1)
Kunio Shimoda
Korean Baseball Organization (1)
Sang II Lee
Korean Professional Baseball Players Association (1)
Sean Kwon
Japan Professional Baseball Players Association (1)
Toru Matsubara
Members-at-large (3)
Shunsuke Kanda, Yomiuri Shimbun Roland Betts Pedro Cabrera Isidron, Cuba Federation
About the World Baseball Classic
The World Baseball Classic is the premier international baseball tournament, sanctioned by the International Baseball Federation, and features the best players in the world competing for their home countries and territories. More than 1.5 million fans from all over the world have attended the tournament games, held in March 2006 and 2009. Team Japan is the reigning World Baseball Classic Champion, taking home both the inaugural and 2009 titles. The upcoming World Baseball Classic will be played in March 2013 and will again feature the greatest baseball-playing nations in the world. The tournament will be held every four years thereafter.
Israel? What a f****n’ joke…!
Can understand most of the other European choices given the importance of the IBAF rankings but Israel?
They’re not even on the European baseball map, their only merit is a defunct and bankrupt pro league that lasted for all of four seasons…..
Guess that New Zealand, Thailand (the team with the two-man rotation and five-man pitching staff…) and the Philippines got in due to the geography.
Oceania had to find a second nation and Asia also had to get some more countries.
But Israel? Seriously?
@clipper27
It may have escaped you, but Israel is not a European country. It is the only participant from the Middle East and its invitation therefore also reflects the goal of “diverse global representation.”
Israel probably will get a strong roster with a lot of MLB-players, so take it easy.
http://www.baseball-almanac.com/legendary/Jewish_baseball_players.shtml
@Bleacher Creature… It may have escaped you, but Israel surely counts as an European country in terms of baseball (and softball for that matter).
They are participating… well, change that to “trying to qualify for” the European Championships, they are a member of both the CEB and the ESF as far as I know…
…and I think that it is under those regions that countries do qualify.
I know the geography and that they are in MOST cases considered a Middle East country BUT in terms of baseball/softball considered an European Country (well, until now when it is more appropriate to brand themselves as Middle Eastern)
@makoG – I know the number of Jewish passports in the United States. It makes Israel join the likes of Greece, also one of the European “powerhouses” of baseball…….. when it comes to organizing trips over the Atlantic. Not when it comes to develop strong programs on the domestic area.
Isn’t it fascinating though. This year Great Britain and Israel is playing in the same Qualifier in the European Championships – this means that either GB or Israel will NOT be participating in the 2012 European Championships, but will be in the WBC Qualifier…
Let’s help them organize a Middle Eastern Confederation, in that way they surely can claim to be Continental Champions…
Federation membership doesn’t change geography. Or does Australia’s membership in the Asian football federation make them an Asian country? Never mind though…
Let’s just agree to disagree. You think it is wonderful that a baseball powerhouse like Israel gets to play the WBC Qualifier and to be the representative for the Middle Eastern region (albeit with only North American players). Nice for you, and I reserve my right to disagree and think that the whole thing is a joke.
It is an IBAF sanctioned tournament, it takes the place of the WORLD CUP that in 2011 is played for the last time. And as many said before, 2011 would be the end of baseball world tournaments as we know it.
And it is obviously, as you now can buy your way into the equivalent to the World Cup after 2011.
Hope that the money tastes good for both the IBAF and for the MLB.
We are talking about *qualification* tournaments! If Israel is gettig whipped at their qualifier, they’ll never make it to the big show! That’s the usual procedure for the showcase tournaments of any major sport. How can you expect to raise awareness about your tourney or your sport in general in countries that must remain on the sidelines?
And yes, sports is also about money. Not only, but also baseball. Otherwise the MLB wouldn’t get involved in the first place…
As far as I know, you don’t need the country’s passport or any other relation at all to play for their team at all. Since it is an invitational tournament you can use any player you want. So it is to decide for each federation which player to invite. At least that’s what I heard about the WBC.
World Baseball Classic Tournament Rules and Regulations:
PLAYER ELIGIBILITY
Each player on a Team’s approved Provisional Roster must be eligible to participate for that Team. A player will be so eligible only if:
* The player was born in the nation or territory the Team represents, as evidenced by a birth certificate or its equivalent or in player records maintained by Major League Baseball, Nippon Professional Baseball or the Korean Baseball Organization; or
* The player has one parent who is, or if deceased was, a citizen of the nation the Team represents, as evidenced by a passport or other documentation satisfactory to WBCI and the IBAF; or
* The player has one parent who was born in the nation or territory the Team represents, as evidenced by a birth certificate or its equivalent.
If a player is qualified for citizenship or to hold a passport under the laws of a nation represented by a Team, but has not been granted citizenship or been issued a passport, then the player may be made eligible by WBCI upon petition by the player or Team. Such petition must include documentary evidence showing to the satisfaction of WBCI that the player would be granted citizenship or a passport in due course under the laws of the nation represented by that Team, had the player applied for such citizenship or passport.
__________
So a player indeed does not need the country’s passport he is representing, however must meet the qualifications necessary to obtain it, if he chose to apply.