Blog

Oct 06, 2023

PLAY BALL WEEKEND taking place June 9

From youth leagues to the Big Leagues, the baseball & softball universe will

From youth leagues to the Big Leagues, the baseball & softball universe will celebrate the love of the game shared among youth the world all over through "PLAY BALL WEEKEND." PLAY BALL WEEKEND is a global effort to inspire participation in baseball and softball through activities hosted by MLB, MiLB & Partner League Clubs as well as MLB's international offices throughout the world, beginning on Friday, June 9, and lasting through Sunday, June 11.

A primary focus of PLAY BALL WEEKEND will be connecting with youth from different backgrounds, while closing equity gaps to accessing the game and encouraging kids, families and communities to PLAY all summer long. The eclectic nature of the activities across the globe will include skills competitions (Pitch, Hit & Run; Jr. Home Run Derby), field & youth league takeovers, special clinics, and more. Professional players at all different levels will participate in many of the activities. Kids will represent a variety of groups, including Boys & Girls Clubs of America, Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities, Miracle League, Little League and many others. All Club-led programs that have open registration can be found at MLB.com/playballweekend.

Below are quick snapshots of all the different ways baseball and softball will be celebrated the entire weekend:

-- Europe – MLB Europe is hosting First Pitch Festivals in Cardiff, UK and Sheffield, UK as part of the lead up to the 2023 MLB London Series featuring the Chicago Cubs vs. St. Louis Cardinals.-- Egypt – On June 10-11 "Because Baseball," which operates baseball programming in Egypt (including an official RBI program in association with MLB), will host Egyptian youth from Cairo to learn from a team of coaches whose experience ranges from being former pro players, coaches, MLB executives and college baseball players.-- Asia – Major League Baseball's offices in Tokyo, Japan, Seoul, South Korea, Beijing, China, and Gurugram, India, are hosting youth baseball & softball activities throughout the weekend.-- North America – See above from MLB & MiLB Club activities, which also will include significant support from the U.S. Conference of Mayors, USA Baseball & USA Softball

-- Franklin Sports – Through the long-term partnership with the family-owned and Boston-based licensee, over 50,000 PLAY BALL bat and ball sets will be dispersed to youngsters throughout the course of PLAY BALL Weekend.

-- U.S. Conference of Mayors – Since 2015, the U.S. Conference of Mayors have been key supporters with customized, community based "Mayor's PLAY BALL" events that revolve around fun, non-traditional play and skills building.

-- Diamond Kinetics – As part of PLAY BALL WEEKEND, MLB is bringing the Big Leagues to the backyard through Diamond Kinetics, a digital platform that turns practice into play. DK's new in-app MLB "PLAY BALL" mission will challenge kids to complete PLAY BALL-inspired games and guided hitting drills to unlock exclusive in-app content and rewards, including MLB-themed badges. Diamond Kinetics is the "Trusted Youth Development Platform of Major League Baseball." Learn more at www.diamondkinetics.com.

As an additional vehicle to promote the spirit of PLAY BALL WEEKEND among young people, MLB will highlight "digital diamonds" that creatively illustrate fun ways how any field, blacktop or sandlot can become a playing space for baseball and softball. The digital PLAY BALL diamonds were created to grab young people's attention by reimagining playing spaces with themes such as a Pinball Park, Superhero Field and an Obstacle Arcade where video games meet the National Pastime. Fans can see these digital diamonds on @MLB and @PlayBall social media platforms on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

MLB Network has produced a special video that has current & former Major League players recalling their Most Memorable Diamond To Play On, including fields where they grew up as well as MLB Ballpark. The video includes thoughts from Mookie Betts, Bryce Harper, Trea Turner, J.D. Martinez, Kevin Kiermaier, Anthony Rizzo, Javier Báez, Juan Soto Raul Ibañez, Ryan Dempster and Kevin Millar.

"At the midpoint of our calendar year, PLAY BALL WEEKEND is an opportunity for our sport to celebrate the kids, families and communities that provide the foundation for the lifelong love of our game," said Tony Reagins, Chief Baseball Development Officer, Major League Baseball. "The enthusiasm from the teams, partners and youth groups for this weekend is a great indication of how well-received this initiative has been for our global youth baseball & softball community. We are excited to see all the smiling faces and fun experiences in ballparks across the country and in communities around the globe."