r/CollegeSoftball • u/neojapan • Sep 15 '26
WBSC World Cup low-attendance concerns
Watched the highlights from Team USA's game against Brazil and the empty stands really stuck out. These are most of the top players from our country and it looks like 30 people came out to watch at Devon Park. I get that Brazil is not a tough opponent. The game was on Sunday with a 1 pm start time so it's not a problem with it being a weekday. Maybe the weather was an issue like it was too hot or something. Just disappointing to see so little support for these players.
50
u/Pushing_Uphill Sep 15 '26
No publicity. No media coverage. Paywall to stream games.
4
u/Stuffy-Storm Sep 16 '26 edited Sep 16 '26
The games are on the Bally sports app. Free, but you have to make an account.
Those other reasons mentioned are true. Plus, it’s softball season in Oklahoma, which could explain the low attendance too. The kids that would normally go watch games this past weekend (except Sunday) might have been playing in tournaments. I know our middle school team had tournaments back to back weekends.
17
u/AnUdderDay Maryland Terrapins Sep 15 '26
WBSC did bupkus to promote the event. Even the group stage in Prague, which is pretty mad about softball, was poorly attended.
It also didn't help they don't have a major international broadcast partner that could provide decent equipment. The broadcasts are pretty subpar.
24
u/RampageTaco Oklahoma Sooners Sep 15 '26
Sunday was one of the cooler non-rainy days lately and it was only 99⁰. Also, it's football season now, not the summer. That's going to affect attendance a whole bunch too.
9
u/mstoday Oklahoma Sooners Sep 15 '26
yeah this summer has been what, 43 days above 100 here in okc? the thought of being outside is a hard no for me right now!!
7
u/Coduuuuuuuuuuuuu Sep 15 '26
1pm on Sunday the first week of the NFL season is about the worst possible time for this game. On top of that it was 100 degrees. I can’t blame anybody for not wanting to watch a blowout given the circumstances.
10
u/Trip_Se7ens Texas Tech • St. Mary's (TX) Sep 15 '26
I didn’t even know this was going on. AUSL did such a. Great job advertising that it peaked my interest, but I didn’t even know USA was playing anymore softball this year until this post lol
1
u/TheSoftball Sep 17 '26
ESPN advertised the USA International Cup like it was some big important events, when it was nothing more than a glorified exhibition series that the teams were using to warm up for this tournament, which actually counts.
7
u/selakimsth Sep 15 '26
I would love to go to these games. I live an hour away. But it's too hot. I also know I'd want to buy concessions, so with travel and tickets and food, it's just not in my budget right now. The economy is a real thing.
14
u/lyndseymariee Sep 15 '26
It’s been hot as fuck in OKC with highs still reaching the upper 90s. I don’t blame people for not wanting to sit in that. It’s part of the reason I do not live there anymore. Also, summer is over so most families aren’t traveling right now. If these are in the middle of a work week, that also has an effect on attendance.
15
u/notaquarterback Michigan • Monmouth (IL) Sep 15 '26
They really need to host these in cities people want to visit:
5
u/Levi_27 Sep 15 '26
I mean OKC has a massive softball following. Every time I’ve gone to games at Devon they’re packed. This wasn’t advertised at all
5
u/bcocfbhp Jocelyn Briski Stan for the day Sep 15 '26
there isn’t a backing in international for softball for fans to travel country to country for this stuff
3
u/CeeDotA UCLA Bruins Sep 15 '26
Devon Park is a fantastic facility but Oklahoma City?
3
u/notaquarterback Michigan • Monmouth (IL) Sep 15 '26
Lots of nice college softball stadiums and probably even a few high schools
2
u/Stuffy-Storm Sep 16 '26
Might be about giving foreign teams a chance to play in the future Olympic stadium.
1
u/mrvernon_notmrvernon Sep 15 '26
Maybe other cities should build a softball facility as large and as nice as Devon Park then.
11
u/Bennie-Factors Sep 15 '26
For 95% of the games Devon size is not needed. The Great Park in Irvine,CA would be great for this event. And a larger softball population
3
u/NotNeccessarilyMe Sep 15 '26
Stanford stadium is very nice sized in the bay area. I’m sure there are at least 30 others in the US.
2
u/Frost033 Sep 16 '26
As people have said, nobody knows this is happening. USA Softball has failed pretty badly in their messaging. I don’t know who is in the team, where to watch it, when games even are!
3
u/WilliamGallow Sep 16 '26
Let's not also dismiss softball tournament fatigue. Like over-saying "I love you," the stampede of softball tournaments reduces their specialness.
4
1
1
u/DakotaXIV Sep 15 '26
I live like 15 walking minutes from the stadium and had no idea this was going on
1
u/jbokwxguy Oklahoma Sooners Sep 15 '26
The only reason I knew something like this was going on was because our Radio guy in Oklahoma mentioned it on the radio because he wants to get some international exposure by calling the games on radio.
So the marketing for it was non existent AND it was hot as hell.
1
u/Bulletbait98 Sep 16 '26
This is fairly standard for WBSC events. They have very little $$ for publicity for these events. The events that do the best are the ones tied to a larger event (Olympics, World Games, Pan-Am games, etc.)
1
u/Purple_Smell_2354 27d ago
When all you pick is Oklahoma players and are playing inOKC where are their self committed “fans” at now? Guess you have to play Texas for your fans to show up?
1
u/Penguins_Hockey Texas Tech Red Raiders 27d ago
I only remember hearing about this at the end of the WCWS and start of the AUSL. My comment is no different from others, but hopefully when the Olympics roll around more people will come support Team USA in OKC. We may even take the trip support it.
0
97
u/CenterOuttie14 Sep 15 '26
Also tbh...I didnt even know this event was happening except on this board. If they want attendance it needs to be advertised a little more... really a lot more. And its football season.