The BBF Board has released the “Road to the NBC”, a document detailing the post-season structure and schedules for adult and youth teams vying for spots in the 2012 National Baseball Championships.
The British Baseball Federation has announced the post-season format and schedule for the 2012 National Baseball Championship (NBC), to be held over the late summer bank holiday weekend, August 25-27. The adult NBC will include a double-elimination NBL bracket, semi-finals and finals for AAA and AA and a Single-A final, with the potential for 14 games played over three days at a single venue.
The NBC qualifications will take place on August 12 and/or 19, with 26 teams vying for spots in the finals.
The playoffs and NBC are earlier this year to take advantage of the three-day bank holiday weekend and a return to extended finals competition for the adult leagues, as well as to allow the GB Baseball programme to prepare and fundraise for the European Baseball Championships and World Baseball Classic qualifier in September.
Input and feedback
The “Road to the NBC” was drafted with input from commissioners and league representatives as well as feedback from the teams themselves following last year’s highly successful Championship weekend. The BBF is hopeful that the adjustments made to the qualification process, structure and schedule — as well as the shift to a three-day event — will make the post-season experience even more exciting than in previous years.
Planning for the NBC is already in progress and the venue will be announced as soon as possible. As in 2011, the Great Britain Baseball National Teams programme will serve as event organisers, facilitating the staffing, catering, sponsorship and grounds maintenance for the NBC on behalf of the British baseball community. The NBC represents one of Team GB’s major fundraisers, and 100% of catering and merchandising profit from the weekend goes to support our national team players in overseas competition.
The Bronco and Pony post-season details, along with the 2012 Youth National Baseball Championships (YNBC) schedule will be announced later in May.
