(Story by Marco Stoovelaar; Photo by WBSC)
           
Netherlands opens Premier12 in México; WBSC reveals Groups & Sites
Nederlands
 MÉXICO CITY (México) -
The Netherlands Baseball Team will play its first games in this years Premier12 in the Mexican city of Zapopan, near Guadalajara, the capital of the State of Jalisco.
That was announced on Wednesday-afternoon (February 13) during a press conference by the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) at Casa Jalisco, the headquarters of the Governor of the State of Jalisco in Mexican capital México City.
In December, it already had been announced that the Opening Round was to be played Taiwan, México and South Korea.
The Finals will be played in Japan.
At the meeting, which was presided by WBSC-President Riccardo Fraccari, the WBSC, together with professional club Charros de Jalisco (Mexican Pacific League), México's National Commission for Physical Culture and Sport (CONADE) and the Government of Jalisco, revealed several announcements regarding the second edition of the Premier12, which will be held November 2-17.
The tournament features the twelve best teams worldwide in men's baseball.
The event also has the status of Olympic Qualifying Tournament for the 2020 Olympic Games in Japan.
The top team from the Asia/Oceania territory (not including Japan) and the top team from the Americas will qualify for the Olympics.
When no team from Asia or Oceania finishes in the top-six, this Olympic slot will be decided in the last Qualifying Tournament, which will be held early next year.
Before the meeting, at the National (Presidential) Palace, Riccardo Fraccari met Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who was invited to be and accepted the role as Global Ambassador of Baseball, the WBSC announced.
In this role, President López Obrador will support the global growth of baseball, particularly with regard to elevating baseball's status to a permanent Olympic sport.
Andrés López Obrador was sworn in as President of México on December 1 of last year.
Earlier on Wednesday, it was also announced that the organization of the 2020 Under-23 Baseball World Cup has been awarded to CONADE and the Mexican Baseball Federation (FEMEBE).
WBSC-President Riccardo Fraccari, CONADE Director Ana Gabriela Guevara and FEMEBE President Enrique Mayorga announced a major partnership and a Memorandum of Understanding, which included the awarding the U-23 World Cup.
In 2004, Ana Guevara won the Silver Medal at the 400 meters during the Olympic Games in Athens (Greece).
She was World Champion in Paris (France) in 2003.
In the Memorandum there are three items of collaboration: education of coaches and umpires, international events in México and the promotion of the WBSC's Urban Baseball5 in schools and physical education programmes across the country.
The teams that qualified for participation in this years Premier12 are the countries that head the World Ranking List of the WBSC at the end of last year.
The Netherlands is currently in eighth place on this list, which is headed by Japan.
Following Japan are the USA, South Korea, Chinese Taipei, Cuba, México, Australia, the Netherlands, Venezuela, Canada, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic.
...WBSC-President Riccardo Fraccari (right) and from left...
...Ana Gabriela Guevara (CONADE Dir.), Salvador Quirarte Villaseñor...
...(Local Org. Comm. President) and Enrique Alfaro Ramírez...
...(Governor of Jalisco) unveil the 2019 Premier12 Trophy...
(© Photo: WBSC) |
At the meeting in the Mexican capital, the hosts, sites and dates of the three Opening Rounds were unveiled, as well as which teams will play in Group A, B.and C.
Also, the Official 2019 WBSC Premier12 Trophy was unveiled and a new sponsorhip was announced.
The Super Round and the Finals of the Premier12 will be hosted by Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) and will be played at ZOZO Marine Stadium in Chiba City and the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo.
Last year, ZOZO Marine Stadium was the site of the Finals of the Women's Softball World Championship.
In Group A, the Netherlands meets the USA, the Dominican Republic and host México.
The games will be played at Estadio de Béisbol Charros de Jalisco in Guadalajara.
Group A will officially open the tournament with the first game to be played on November 2.
Group B will be played at Taichung Intercontinental Stadium in Taichung (Taiwan).
Playing in this Group are Chinese Taipei, Japan, Puerto Rico and Venezuela.
Gocheok Sky Dome in South Korean capital Seoul will be the site for the games in Group C.
Playing in this Group are South Korea, Australia, Canada and Cuba.
To be able to have its biggest star-players on its roster, the regular season of the professional Korean Baseball Organization already begins on March 23 (the earlierst date ever) to close the season in October in time for the Premier12.
The two best countries of each Group will advance to the Super Round in Japan.
The sites in México and South Korea also hosted one of the preliminary rounds of the 2017 World Baseball Classic.
The stadium in Taichung was one of the sites of a preliminary round of the 2013 WBC and also has been the location of several more international events, including the 2006 and 2010 Intercontinental Cups.
The Tokyo Dome has been the site for either the first or second round in each of the four World Baseball Classics played so far.
In a press release, WBSC President Riccardo Fraccari said:
,,With four world-class hosts sharing duties - and two places at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at stake - we expect to break all ticketing, viewership and media figures of the 2015 edition, while providing top conditions for the players and teams to perform.''
Three more statements were included.
Charros de Jalisco Chairman Salvador Quirarte Villaseñor said:
,,We are proud to partner with WBSC to bring this year's top international baseball tournament to Jalisco, where we promise to deliver an electric global atmosphere for all the players, teams and the fans.
And it's a tremendous honour to have the country's baseball team - the Mexican National Team - call Estadio de Béisbol Charros de Jalisco their home for the opening round of this major event.''
Jeffrey Koo Jr., President of the Chinese Taipei Baseball Association, said:
,,The inaugural Premier12 generated record TV numbers and social media volume in Chinese Taipei.
CTBA, with its extensive experience hosting top-notch baseball events, is thrilled to be a host again and will ensure to treat all participants, officials and fans to an unforgettable experience.
With the world's 12 highest-ranked teams in this tournament, all three groups are bound to be extremely competitive - and it's a welcomed challenge and exciting for our fans to have baseball powerhouses like Japan, Venezuela and Puerto Rico in the Chinese Taipei group.''
Chung Un-chan, Commissioner of the Korean Baseball Organization, said:
,,Each team knows where they're going and whom they will be playing against in this very challenging, world-level baseball competition, and it's an honour to partner with WBSC to host Premier12 and have our National Team - the defending 2008 Olympic champions and 2015 Premier12 champions - at home.
We aim to defend both our titles and make it 2008 and 2015 again.''
The inaugural edition of the Premier12, which carries the slogan 'Global Baseball Battle', was held in 2015.
Four years ago, the event opened with a game in Sapporo (Japan).
Thereafter, all games in the prelimary round were played in Taipei, Taichung, Taoyuan and Douliu in Taiwan.
The Semi-Finals and Finals were was then played in the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo (Japan).
The Netherlands also participated in the first edition.
The Orange squad, which was led by Manager Hensley Meulens, in 2015 met Chinese Taipei, Cuba, Italy, Puerto Rico and Canada in the Preliminary Round.
In Group A, The Netherlands finished in third place to reach the Quarter Final, but then was eliminated after losing 6-1 to the USA.
In the Final, South Korea captured the Gold Medal with an 8-0 shutout-win against the USA.
Japan captured Bronze by winning 11-1 against México.
In the Final Standings, the Netherlands ended up in seventh place.
In 2015, eleven of this years countries also participated then.
Four years ago, Italy also had qualified.
However, Italy is currently in 16th place on the WBSC-ranking.
Taking the place of Italy is Australia, which moved up to seventh place in recent years.
(February 13)
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