Finding a Baseball Tournament

Not all baseball tournaments are created equally. If you are new to youth travel baseball all of the different tournament options can be overwhelming. There are local tournaments, statewide tournaments, and even national tournaments. So how do you choose the right tournament for your baseball team/organization?

What is included?

Each tournament has different pros and cons. Even if a tournament appears to have everything you need, you might be located 9 hours from your base of operations. There are some things that every coach should look for in a tournament though.

Field or Complex

Field location and quality are a major factor. You want your kids to have a good game experience so make sure that the tournament field is in good condition.This will prevent players from becoming injured and ensure the games are good quality. No one wants to play in a mud pit!

Tournament Fees

Fees are another thing coaches need to consider. Almost every tournament has additional fees you have to worry about (not the Cap Classic Series!). Some tournaments require coaches to pay umpires at the plate, others require gate fees, or tournament ball fees. These fees are not always explicitly stated so it’s good for coaches to carry a hundred dollars or so in cash on them just in case.

Other tournaments giveaway “bonus items” to try to attract teams to their tournament. This includes things like bats, trophies, and even hats (Cap Classic!). Although these items aren’t necessary for the tournament to take place, they do entice coaches to sign up and are a nice addition. A good thing about tournaments like these are they can save teams money on bats, hats, etc which gives them money to sign up for another tournament or give parents a refund.