New broadcast deal for 2014 Women's Softball World Championship set to highlight women's sport to global audience

Post date: Nov 17, 2014 7:37:23 PM

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                14 August 2014

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New broadcast deal for 2014 Women's Softball World Championship set to highlight women's sport to global audience 

"This broadcast agreement helps to highlight the power and potential of softball as a promoter of women's sport, helping shape a sporting world that is more balanced and relevant to women," ISF and WBSC Secretary General Low Beng Choo commented.

HAARLEM, Netherlands -- The ISF, the international softball division of the World Baseball Softball Confederation -- has announced that all 67 games of the 14th Women's Softball World Championship will be web-streamed.

The pinnacle women's softball championship featuring the top sixteen national teams begins Friday in Haarlem, Netherlands continuing through August 24.

Coverage of the Women's World Championship will be available globally through live web streaming as well as archived (on demand) on a subscription basis via ISFsoftball.org.

In addition to the live streaming, the bronze and gold medal games on August 24 will be carried on major television networks. Agreements have been reached with multiple broadcasters that will provide coverage in Japan and the USA to approximately 185 million homes. TV Tokyo has also secured the exclusive rights for Japan to its 32 million households.  

"We are very pleased to showcase the 14th Women's World Championship to the entire global audience," said ISF President and WBSC Executive Vice President Dale McMann. "The ability for the international community to access the highest level of women's softball will only enhance our capacity to drive spectator interest and the growing consumer demand of our sport."

The ten-day tournament will include national teams from Australia, Botswana, Canada, China, Chinese Taipei, Cuba, Czech Republic, Dominican Republic, Great Britain, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, Russia, and USA.

"The Softball World Championship provides a dedicated international platform for women athletes to shine and be the focus of sport, which highlights the power and potential of softball as a promoter of women's sport, helping shape a sporting world that is more balanced and relevant to women," ISF and WBSC Secretary General Low Beng Choo commented.    

Japan is the defending champions having defeated the United States 2-1 in extra innings in Whitehorse, YK, Canada in 2012.

WBSC officials also reiterated the continued acceleration of baseball and softball's global spread, as the XIV Women's Softball World Championship represents the first time the women's showpiece event will be celebrated in Europe.

To follow the tournament, visit ISFsoftball.org or the official event website at wcsoftball2014.com.

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MEDIA: For media inquiries, please contact:

media@wbsc.co

About the World Baseball Softball Confederation:

Headquartered in the Olympic Capital city of Lausanne, Switzerland, the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) was established in April 2013 and granted recognition as the sole competent authority in baseball and softball by the International Olympic Committee at the 125th IOC Session in September 2013. The WBSC represents a united baseball/softball sports movement that encompasses over 65 million athletes worldwide.

The WBSC governs all international competitions involving any of the National Teams of its 141 National Federation members.  

The WBSC also oversees the Baseball World Cups and Softball World Championships and is the only sports organisation in the world that oversees a U-12 youth national team world championship.

The WBSC currently has National Federation members in 141 countries and territories across Asia, Africa, Americas (Caribbean, Central-, North- and South-America), Europe and Oceania. 

For further information, please go to www.WBSC.co.