Why D1 ?

[Chilixa]

Even decent D1 schools are no match for top 20 D1 programs. I remember going to see Florida play an early season tournament at USF in 2023. This was not a very good Florida team. They played Illinois State, Boston College and Boston U. Run rule. Run rule. Run rule. The pitchers for those teams were equivalent to local 18U tournament pitchers. And I think Boston U won 50 that year and made the NCAA tournament as a conference champion.

Yeah the top teams are that much better than everyone else. They even look different when standing on a field. If there was truly parody we would see a lot more small conference winners making the college World Series. It just rarely happens, yet alone any of those teams actually winning it.

There are very good players in all divisions. But the top 20 teams stack talent in a way most teams can’t compete with on a regular basis. I watched a lot of regionals this year and watched a lot of conference champion pitchers throw slower than what I see at an 18u tourney many times. They were very good pitchers but the elite ones are all getting stacked on the same teams for the most part.


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[RADcatchers]

FWIW, I believe there is a space for pro softball to become something for players to do post college, however, I don't see the current system getting us there.

Something completely not associated with NCAA or anything currently

 

[CoachCeetar]

FWIW, I believe there is a space for pro softball to become something for players to do post college, however, I don't see the current system getting us there.

I mean, why would it? Colleges aren't looking to start a pro league (they'd have to _really_ pay them!). It'll be started by rich people salivating over the WCWS ratings or something.

It's already kind of happening. There are various small leagues out there. I imagine this has always been the case, but it seems likely that some of it will actually take hold for real this time. I don't think we're at real salaries yet, but it's hard not to see that changing, a few advertisers and some real broadcasts and suddenly they're off. Seems like it could happen the way many other pro leagues evolved, with a lot of little upstarts eventually merging or getting absorbed.

I dunno, it seem so mind-numbingly obvious I start to wonder how they'll screw it up.

 

[RADcatchers]

There are very good players in all divisions. But the top 20 teams stack talent in a way most teams can’t compete with on a regular basis.

Create a separate division for them. Money brings in top performance that Status gets you into that division.
Have tournaments where teams can enter against the money teams.
If you can happen to beat the money teams that could equal status getting in to that division.

Just spitballing here

 

[Tide_will_Roll]

@LEsoftballdad 100% agree with you here. My DD played against Team USA this summer. The elite women team (olympic team) are STACKED with talent, truly the best of the best (and mostly OU players). DD's team has more than a smattering of good players. USF, UCF, OSU, OU etc.. everyone else mid majors. They were dismantled instantly. The game has changed from 25 years ago.

For those that are looking, its easy to see the progress that has been made.

FWIW, I believe there is a space for pro softball to become something for players to do post college, however, I don't see the current system getting us there.

Not trying to discount your story but, there was no USA Softball Olympics team this year. The sport wasn't in the Olympics.

Additionally, the 2024 U.S. Women's Softball team isn't "stacked with Oklahoma players." There are three on the team. UCLA actually has more players on the team with four. This is for the WBSC World Cup Finals. For the 2024 Japan All-Star World Series, three OU players. LSU has the next most with two.

2024 Women's National Team - USA Softball

www.usasoftball.com

 

[erniekru]

Create a separate division for them. Money brings in top performance that Status gets you into that division.
Have tournaments where teams can enter against the money teams.
If you can happen to beat the money teams that could equal status getting in to that division.

Just spitballing here

Has to be regional play. The meager amount of money in play to get softball going needs to go to the players and not travel expenses. Just in so cal, there are lots of facilities that could put on a banger of a show.

I know players who've played on USSSA Pride and some others on OKC Spark. The money that the make could at very very best be considered part time work.

Not talking about even 100k to the players, but it has to be a livable wage right, minimum 70k or so.. From a recent post on X, the top 60 team budgets start at 6.58MM, #14 is 2.99MM and #60 is 1.71MM. That amount of money is not THAT crazy for fully funded, long season, lots of games.

 

[JayW]

I think 80% of the interest in womens softball viewing is aligned with college allegiances. I don't think it carries over to the professional leagues.

 

[erniekru]

Not trying to discount your story but, there was no USA Softball Olympics team this year. The sport wasn't in the Olympics.

Additionally, the 2024 U.S. Women's Softball team isn't "stacked with Oklahoma players." There are three on the team. UCLA actually has more players on the team with four. This is for the WBSC World Cup Finals. For the 2024 Japan All-Star World Series, three OU players. LSU has the next most with two.

2024 Women's National Team - USA Softball

www.usasoftball.com

Wait what, there's no olympic softball this year?? huh..

The USA women's national team will become the olympic team in 2028. It seems like every national team is in year two of their olympic effort to get to LA2028. The qualification process is a multi year process and strange in that there will only be 6 teams. I have no idea why they limited the number so much. Way more teams than 6 are playing high level softball

I was just referencing the team is the best of the best. The team will likely be shaken up as we get closer to 2028, the roster will undoubtedly change before 2028 and my guess as to the composition is there will be a lot of OU players as there were more than the 3 on the world cup roster that are in the mix. Anyway, you are correct on the stacked with OU talent comment I made was wrong. The team is not stacked with OU talent (yet)

 

[CoachCeetar]

I think 80% of the interest in womens softball viewing is aligned with college allegiances. I don't think it carries over to the professional leagues.

Millions of people watched PWHL. The WNBA is exploding in viewership. People are watching 12 year olds play baseball. People are desperate for womens sports. It's just a matter of finding the right time frame for it.

 

[LEsoftballdad]

I think 80% of the interest in womens softball viewing is aligned with college allegiances. I don't think it carries over to the professional leagues.

My girls watch Athletes Unlimited all the time. Sadly, the games draw only 300-400 people to watch in person. The facility in Rosemont is excellent, but it's not ideal to draw many fans to sit in the seats.

And I will say the part no one has mentioned yet. Women's sports don't sell outside of a small sample size. I love softball, but there is not a big enough draw to form a pro league that pays well enough to make it a career. I suspect giving regular lessons is way more lucrative. Just look at the WNBA. It's been propped up by the NBA for decades, and if it weren't for Caitlin Clark, no one would watch.