20 MAY 2015

Groups, Opening match-ups revealed for new Premier12? elite global baseball tournament as 2020 Olympic bidding open

 

 

SEOUL (South Korea) -- Opening round groups for the first-ever Premier12? global baseball tournament, which unites the twelve highest-ranked countries from the WBSC Baseball World Rankings, were among a series of major announcements at a press conference Wednesday led by WBSC President Riccardo Fraccari in the South Korean capital.

 

In the day's most anticipated news surrounding the new Premier12 -- which will be staged in Japan and Taiwan from 8-21 November -- the two groups for the event's Opening Round were revealed:

 

Group A: Co-host/World No. 4 Chinese Taipei, No. 3 Cuba, No. 5 Netherlands, No. 7 Canada, No. 9 Puerto Rico and No. 11 Italy

 

Group B: Co-host/World No. 1 Japan, No. 2 United States, No. 6 Dominican Republic, No. 8 South Korea, No. 10 Venezuela and No. 12 Mexico  

 

The top four nations from each group surviving the Opening Round clash will advance to the quarterfinal knockout stage before the Premier12 shifts from Taiwan to Japan's iconic Tokyo Dome for the semi-finals and finals.

 

Continuing the announcements, the first two contests that will kick off action at the 2015 Premier12 were unveiled.

 

In Group A, it will be Chinese Taipei and Netherlands, the 2011 Baseball World Cup champions, at Taichung's Intercontinental Stadium on 9 November.

 

Helping to showcase the sport's popularity and existing world-class venues in Japan as baseball/softball vie for a spot at the 2020 Olympic Games, there was a special announcement to reveal that the 40,000-seat Sapporo Dome has been added to the line-up and would host the Group B opener, which will feature top-ranked Japan and South Korea on 8 November.

 

Samurai Japan National Team manager Hiroki Kokubo has underlined Japan's intention to capture the initial Premier12 trophy and will look to assemble a Japanese "Dream Team" that will make the entire country proud.

 

The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) League -- South Korea's top sports league -- was present for announcements Wednesday and "welcomed the challenge" of the opening battle against rival Japan, declaring the league's support of the South Korean National Team in the Premier12.

 

WBSC President Fraccari commented:

 

"The Premier12 platform provides another key opportunity for players to represent, promote and honour their countries, and build on the wave of continued globalisation and excitement within our sport, particularly during this time when our sport is under Olympic observation for potential inclusion at the 2020 Games in Tokyo."

 

Said In Sik Kim, KBO official and former manager of the South Korean National Team:

 

"KBO is proud and honoured to announce our involvement and support for this new elite international competition looking to 2020 and beyond. KBO leadership joins in sharing President Fraccari's vision for the Premier12 to further establish and raise the attractiveness of National Team brands as part of a strategy to connect to new and global audiences, helping to drive awareness and growth in our sport around the world."

 

The inaugural Premier12 is being co-hosted by Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) -- the second highest-attended major sports league in the world in 2014 (approx. 23 million) -- and the Chinese Taipei Baseball Association.  
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NOTES TO EDITORS:

 

Download Photos / Courtesy WBSC

 

About WBSC Premier12?:

 

Set to launch in November 2015, the WBSC Premier12 will unite the Men's National Teams from the 12 highest-ranked nations (the "Premier12") in the Official WBSC Baseball World Rankings every four years.

 

Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) -- the second highest-attended sports league in the world in 2014 (at approx. 23 million) and world-class organisers Chinese Taipei Baseball Association (CTBA) -- both WBSC Members -- will co-host the inaugural Premier12.

 

British firm The Works Ltd., which has been responsible for the official looks of leading world sport properties, such as the 2014 FIFA World Cup? and UEFA Champions League Finals?, has been appointed by WBSC to design and roll out the Official Look and Feel of the inaugural 2015 Premier12.

 

The twelve nations qualified for the 2015 Premier12 are: World No. 1 Japan, No. 2 USA, No. 3 Cuba, No. 4 Chinese Taipei, No. 5 Netherlands, No. 6 Dominican Republic, No. 7 Canada, No. 8 South Korea, No. 9 Puerto Rico, No. 10 Venezuela, No. 11 Italy and No. 12. Mexico.

About Korea Baseball Organization (KBO):

 

The KBO professional baseball league was founded in 1982 with six clubs. Expansion-years include 1991 to eight clubs), 2013 to nine clubs and 2015 to a record 10 clubs. Based on the league's current expansion and rise in popularity is projected to attract more than 8 million fans in 2015, the most in its history.

 

KBO oversees the administration of the KBO Regular season, All-star Game, and Post-season games, as well as the collection, research and analysis of league records, statistical database and related archives. KBO is committed to the promotion of international baseball events and actively supports the development of youth baseball. KBO has been an Associate Member of WBSC since 2013.
About the World Baseball Softball Confederation:
Headquartered in the Olympic Capital city of Lausanne, Switzerland, the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) is the world governing body for the sports of baseball and softball. As well as promoting the growth of baseball/softball worldwide, the WBSC governs all international competitions involving any of the National Teams of its 141 National Federation members.  The WBSC oversees the Softball World Championships (Men's, Women's, U-19 Men's, and U-19 Women's), Premier12, the World Baseball Classic, and the U-12, U-15, U-18, U-21 and Women's Baseball World Cups. 

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