Softball Today, Softball Tomorrow, Softball Forever!

Who can host Softball Canada’s Canadian Championships? Almost anyone can be a part of the experience and can help build softball’s next generation of softball players. 

  • Cities
  • Teams
  • Leagues
  • Minor groups/associations
  • Nonprofit groups
  • Businesses
  • Service Clubs.

There are a wide range of Canadian Championships available to host from PeeWee divisions to Senior divisions, male or female. There are also opportunities for Slo-Pitch and Fastpitch Championships. To host an event, a 10% deposit is expected from the hosting party and is returned at the end of the event, providing that all contractual obligations are met.

Current Hosting Fee Schedule


* Providing that all contractual obligations are met.

So why host one of Softball Canada’s Canadian Championship? More cities around Canada are bidding to host major sporting events and as one of the top emerging sectors in Canada, it has never before been more beneficial for cities to participate in sport tourism. Sport tourism offers cities the opportunity to acquire

  • A better image
  • Experience
  • Stronger networks
  • Commitment
  • Identity.

Not only can these events impact the sport community dramatically, but events of this caliber have the capabilities to impact host destinations and their communities physically. For example, by hosting national and world-class events, communities achieve enduring legacies such as trained volunteers, and new or upgraded facilities, which potentially leads to more hosting opportunities.

What did the previous hosting cities gain from the experience? Previous hosting communities have acquired valuable experience hosting high performance sporting events, such as Softball Canada’s Canadian Championships. Experiences that these hosting communities have benefited from are 

  • Media coverage
  • New business
  • Community awareness
  • Community image.

These communities have also learned that hosting large caliber events are an excellent opportunity for

  • Attracting tourists
  • Generating money into the local economy
  • Creating a positive economy
  • Developing community sport systems.

So who wouldn’t want to host such an event? Hosting offers communities the opportunity to raise their identities as world-class sport destination, generate new tourism business, and achieve widespread national recognition for active communities and people.

However, how exactly do these things benefit my hosting team and my community?

Tourism

One of the biggest benefits of hosting a Championship is the attraction of tourists to the host city. The primary purpose for travel of these visitors is participating or viewing the sport. Several types of visitors are considered when hosting an event 

  • Coaches
  • Athletes
  • Family and friends
  • Media
  • Officials
  • Spectators.

Tourism development has the potential to increase travelers’ awareness of the local community, future visitation, business activity and employment opportunities. This is all achieved by the spending of tourists during their visit and in the future, as well by word of mouth to other potential visitors.

This tourism is possible in communities large and small. It is especially beneficial for towns which do not have access to major resources. They can use sport tourism as a means to improve their local income. Many event organizers take for granted that sporting events will promote their destination in a way that will stimulate community tourism on a short- and long-term basis. Studies have documented that after sporting events, there is an increased awareness of the host city and attractions it has to offer.

City attractions can encourage more visitors and convince them to stay beyond the period of the event. Event visitors choose to stay beyond the event, in order to enjoy the company of others who share their interests in sport, and to enjoy what the city has to offer. Special attractions that persuade individuals to stay can include

  • Heritage sites
  • Distinctive landscapes
  • Theme parks
  • Architecture & engineering
  • Unique local nightlife
  • Shopping.

These attractions can strengthen the event’s appeal to those who might otherwise be hesitant about attending.

Social and Community Development

So, how do these tourists affect community development? Not only can sport tourism increase the tourists in a city, but in terms of social and community impacts of sport tourism, the hosting of Softball Canada’s Canadian Championships can often be associated with a sense of pride amongst the local population. Sport tourism must take into account how tourists’ enjoyment of the sport may impact upon the quality of life of local residents. Locals play an important part in sport tourism, and the success of the event is dependent on a supportive and involved local community. Sporting events provide the locals with

  • A chance to meet new people
  • An opening for self-expression
  • A development of community pride
  • Opportunities to have fun with family and friends
  • Opportunities to cheer on the local team on a National level
  • Opportunities to attend high caliber sporting events.

To gain the support of these residents, involve them in the planning process, by creating contests to find pictures and logos to be used during the Canadian Championship. Involvement of people in the host community is a fundamental part of sport and tourism is necessary for the continuing existence of these events.

Hosting can also impact residents indirectly. Hosting a sporting event can be a means for health promotion. Promoting sporting activities have long-term results for fitness levels and health amongst the local community, and it may be a great way to introduce a new or growing sport to the community.

Also, hosting one of Softball Canada’s Canadian Championships is not only a great opportunity for the residents of the local community but also for local organizations. The event builds the communities’ volunteer capacity and showcases their region to the rest of the country. By hosting such an event, the community will develop an extensive volunteer base that could support future hosting initiatives. The experience of volunteering at a major sporting event can influence interest, and participation in the game following the volunteering. The best sources of volunteers for sporting events are 

  • Recreationists
  • Local youth
  • Students
  • Seniors
  • Parents
  • Service Clubs
  • Minor Teams.

Economic Development

Another positive of hosting Softball Canada’s Canadian Championship is the increased number of visitors to the city and the economic benefits it brings to the host city. In addition to gate charges and sponsorship fees, sport events can

  • Impact retail,
    • Shopping
    • Restaurants/ Bars
  • Impact accommodation,
    • Hotels
    • Motels
  • Create new employment opportunities,
  • Stimulate infrastructure development and,
  • If strategically planned, increase sport system capacity.

Event tourism has emerged as the fastest growing component of the leisure market. Although that includes other leisure events as well as sport events, sport events have played a key role in the growth of the events industry. One reason that suggests this growth is that sport tourists tend to spend more money per day.
 
So, where’s the proof? Applicant cities often don’t realize just how much money that the Championship can generate. Below is a chart describing the profit and loss for Canadian Championship hosts from 2008-2011. Since 2005, of the 56 events that too place, 52 showed a profit and only 4 showed a loss. The average profit for a Canadian Championship is $15,010.


Sport System Development

So, how does hosting impact the local team and athletes? Through hosting sporting events and promoting sport tourism, our athletes gain interest in further developing their skills for national competition. We increase the opportunity for more athletes to reach their goals, when we develop our sport system.  Staging events help develop more and higher qualified coaches, officials and volunteers, as well as provides an opportunity for our athletes to train through competition and to compete at home.

The benefits of competing at home can outweigh the benefits of competing away.

  1. Hosting can help teams raise money for future travel and team expenses.
  2. Hosting can often cost less for the team and athletes. Parents and athletes are not forced to spend money for hotels, food and especially travel.
  3. The local participants have the comfort of being at home for meals and sleep.
  4. Athletes are also in a familiar community where friends and family can come and watch them play which can boost athlete confidence.

Sport tourism also, gives host cities the opportunity to develop athletes but also the opportunity to develop the city itself. The growth of sport tourism in a destination can promote the development of infrastructure and sport system growth. Sport tourism can build infrastructure by promoting the development and repair of new and existing sporting venues.

Often, the primary structure is built or upgraded for the sole purpose of hosting the sport event, so it is important to plan its post event use as well. Cities that regard major sport events as ways to improve their attractiveness as tourist destinations should also consider improvements to infrastructure such as 

  • Parks
  • Sport facilities
  • Public transportation
  • Tourist attractions. 

Some cities have infrastructure that enables them to stage major events with a very low level of investment, whereas other cities have to invest in their infrastructure. Cities that have invested in their infrastructure have rarely been disappointed with their new or existing infrastructure because it allows the local athletes to use these facilities in the future. As a result of the infrastructure improvement, a community is able to develop their sport system and athletes as well. 

Conclusion

Now ask yourself again, why would my city host a Canadian Championship? There are so many reasons, not only can it impact the home team, current and future athletes but also the local community and its residents. Hosting a huge event like one of Softball Canada’s Canadian Championships, allows the community to be involved in the growth of sport and recreation across Canada. By participating you are becoming a key element in the development of Canada’s next generation of national, international, and Olympic champions. But most of all, whoever shares in the event will have the opportunity to enjoy high-quality softball and memories that will last a life time.

For further information about hosting a Canadian Championship, please contact your Provincial/Territorial Softball Association office or Softball Canada at info@softball.ca.

 

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