Event Fact Sheet

Event Name: Perfect Game WWBA Championship Week (Perfect Game WWBA World Championship & Freshman World Championship)

Event Owner: Perfect Game USA, Inc.

Grant Recommendation: $82,000 (FY 24)

FSF Funding: $18,000

Dates: October 5‐9, 2023

Sport: Baseball

Level of Competition: Amateur

Age Range: 14 ‐ 18

Proposed Venues: The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches (13 total diamonds) Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium (13 total diamonds) Santaluces Athletic Complex (4 total diamonds)

Estimated Participation & Projecting 192 total teams (167 traveling & 25 South Florida)

Room Nights: 167 traveling teams * 18 players per team = 3,006 total youth athletes

167 traveling teams * 2 coaches per team = 334 total coaches 167 traveling teams * 27 spectators per team = 4,509 total adult spectators total traveling participants / 4 people per room = 1,962 rooms rooms * 5 nights = 9,810 room nights

Estimated Economic Impact: 3,006 youth athletes * $120.36 avg. daily spending * 5 days = $1,809,011 334 coaches * $240.71 avg. daily spending * 5 days = $401,986 4,509 adult spectators * $240.71 avg daily spending * 5 days = $5,426,807 Total Visitor Spending = $7,637,804

Just Bring Your Game

Event Description:

The Palm Beach County Sports Commission won the bid to host the Perfect Game World Wood Bat Association (WWBA) World Championship and the Perfect Game WWBA Freshman World Championship, once again for this fall. These events enjoyed a rich history in Palm Beach County. After being relocated to Lee County in 2020, due to Covid‐19, the Perfect Game WWBA World Championship and Freshman World Championship returned to The Palm Beaches in 2021 with record setting levels of participation and tourism impacts. In 2022, the Perfect Game WWBA World Championship and Freshman World Championship grew its tourism production by 57% (increasing from 7,252 room nights in FY 21 to 11,389 room nights in FY 23). Perfect Game is the predominant scouting service and event rights holder in amateur baseball and the Perfect Game WWBA World Championship and Freshman World Championship are two of the most competitive baseball tournaments under Perfect Game’s umbrella. The combination of the Perfect Game WWBA World Championship and Freshman World Championship in Palm Beach County have been coined “The Perfect Game WWBA Championship Week” in The Palm Beaches.

The Palm Beach County Sports Commission is partnering with The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches, Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium and Palm Beach County Parks and Recreation to host the Perfect Game Championship Week from October 5‐9, 2023. Perfect Game will utilize up to 26 diamonds at The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches in West Palm Beach, Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium in Jupiter, and 4 diamonds at the Santaluces Athletic Complex in Lantana.

The Perfect Game WWBA World Championship is the premier showcase and scouting event on the globe. The Perfect Game WWBA World Championships, which is simply known as “Jupiter” amongst the amateur baseball community, has taken place in Palm Beach County a total of 20 times in the past 22 years (the event was relocated in 2005 due to Hurricane Wilma and 2020 due to Covid‐19). The Perfect Game WWBA World Championship is a wood‐bat only tournament for the 18U age group and attracts mostly players that will be selected in the Major League Baseball (MLB) draft or play NCAA Division I college baseball. The format consists of pool play and each team is guaranteed a minimum of four games. Only one team will claim a championship and will be fitted for championship rings. This event is Perfect Game’s foremost national team showcase. The top travel baseball organizations from across the United States,

Just Bring Your Game

Palm Beach County Sports Commission www.PalmBeachSports.com

Canada, and the Caribbean will compete at this elite, invitation‐only event. The 2022 Perfect Game WWBA World Championship will consist of 104 teams in 2023.

The Perfect Game WWBA Freshman World Championship relocated to Palm Beach County in 2017 after a five (5) year stretch at the Lake Point Community in Atlanta, Georgia. This event is the premier showcase created solely for high school freshman. The leading travel teams for this age group are invited to attend. This is also a wood bat tournament with a pool play format. Each team is guaranteed 4 games and only one team will be crowned victor. In 2022, a total of 88 teams were fielded in the Perfect Game WWBA Freshman World Championship. Team participation has grown by 56% since the event debuted in Palm Beach County.

Tourism Impacts:

The Perfect Game WWBA Championship Week will create a massive economic and tourism impact for Palm Beach County. The Perfect Game WWBA World Championship and Freshman World Championship will bring 192 baseball teams to The Palm Beaches, consisting of 3,000+ visiting athletes, 334 coaches, and over 4,500 traveling spectators. These events are conservatively projecting 9,810 hotel room nights and $7.6 million of direct visitor spending

Scouts:

Ultimately, the Perfect Game WWBA World Championship and Freshman World Championship provide a showcase for prospects while they perform in front of professional scouts and college recruiters. Over 1,000 scouts will travel across the nation to take advantage of the talented collection of youth baseball players performing on 30 diamonds at only three (3) venues.

Each of the 30 Major League Baseball (MLB) teams will send multiple scouts. Other professional scouts and college recruiters will also be on‐site to take advantage of this unique collection of the best amateur baseball players in the nation. The MLB scouts rent over 700 golf carts, which allow them to move freely and view the games taking place at the multiple diamonds within the spring training facilities.

The impact from scouts is not included in the room projections mentioned above. Scouts do not book rooms within the hotel block and their overnight stays are very difficult to track; however, they are realized. Scouts are responsible for approximately 500 rooms with an average of 2‐3 overnight stays.

Event Schedule:

Thursday, October 5th: Team Registration and Pool Play from 2pm to 10pm

Friday, October 6th: Pool Play takes place from 8am to 10pm

Saturday, October 7th: Pool Play takes place from 8am to 10pm

Sunday, October 8th: Elimination rounds / consolation games takes place from 8am to 8pm

Monday, October 9th: Championship Game / consolation games occur

Event History:

The Perfect Game WWBA World Championship has taken place in Palm Beach County since its inception in 2001. However, the event was relocated in 2005 due to Hurricane Wilma and 2020 due to the Covid‐19 pandemic. The Perfect Game WWBA Freshman World Championship relocated to Palm Beach County in 2017. Over the last 2 years, these events generated 12,247 hotel room nights (on average). This room night number included only trackable room nights and did not include room nights created by scouts.

In 2022, these events experienced record setting team and athlete participation, which led to a new milestone in overnight accommodations. Last year (2022), the Perfect Game WWBA World Championship was responsible for 9,065 room nights and the Perfect Game WWBA Freshman World Series created 4,700 room nights. Together, these events generated 13,765 total room nights, which equates to $2,499,724 in hotel revenue and $149,983 in bed tax revenues. These events also created a projected $9.6 million in visitor spending.

Marketing & Media:

Perfect Game’s reputation as a baseball scouting service is unsurpassed. The Perfect Game WWBA World Championship and Freshman World Championship will receive significant media exposure in baseball publications, especially the renowned “Baseball America” and “Baseball Weekly”. In 2020, the Perfect Game TV was launched and is broadcasted nationally and globally. The Perfect Game WWBA events will be featured on the Perfect Game TV, which is now distributed on Direct TV, Roku, Apple TV, Amazon and more.

Scouting Service Facts:

Perfect Game has more talented players in attendance than any other organization. The proof is in the results. A total of 13,901 Perfect Game players have been drafted by Major League Baseball (MB) teams. Today, 1,875 alumni of Perfect Game are playing for MLB teams. Perfect Game simply provides talented players with a means to be identified and evaluated closely while competing with and against the best worldwide. Perfect Game identifies players, provides an opinion, and then lets Major League scouts and college coaches form their own.

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Palm Beach County Sports Commission www.PalmBeachSports.com

About Perfect Game:

Founded in 1995, Perfect Game USA has become the world’s largest scouting service and youth baseball platform. Perfect Game organizes 9,819 events annually, which consists of 141,588 baseball games. Perfect Game oversees 69,907 teams from 40 different states participating within its event ecosystem.

Perfect Game is the premier provider of amateur baseball events, hosting the highest quality of travel team tournaments and individual showcases throughout the country. Recognized as the leader in holding high level events, Perfect Game hosts showcases throughout the country for high school players. All participants receive scouting reports and videos on their PG Player profiles, providing maximum exposure to college coaches and MLB Scouts.

Perfect Game attracts the most talented amateur players in the nation and the proof is in the results. A total of 13,901 of Perfect Game’s alumni have been selected in the Major League Baseball (MLB) Draft since 2003. The number of MLB draft picks for Perfect Game leads all other baseball organizations.