USA Junior Olympic Cup update

[UmpSteve]

Looking at last year only the Bullets were relevant and they don't have Barnhill this year so their performance remains to be seen

It's quite possible you have some insight that I don't; but I want to throw a few things out there.

ECB is a local team to me, with personalities and individuals I have known for many years; but I haven't heard that KB isn't with them now. In fact, I would have bet that her presence and a specific and definitive promise made her several years ago regarding exposure to the National teams would have been the primary reason that team would enter this USA JO Cup. They have been all about the maximum exposure for years, without regard to the politics of PGF or ASA, and have eschewed ASA in recent years. But you may well know something there that I don't.

You are also possibly overlooking that the ECB team was a returning top finisher last year from 2013, when they placed top 9 WITHOUT KB, who had knee surgery in July 2013.

And, I can't imagine considering the Gold Coast Hurricanes or Wichita Mustangs, with the huge and deep financial pockets apparently supporting them, as irrelevant; you may need to call the Yankees and Dodgers irrelevant after any one year they underperform, then. They are all capable of outspending the competition to secure the best players available, regardless the cost.

[orange socks]

Interesting to see that there are 5 Houston area teams entered in this tourney. All of which are very good programs.

Aces Express
Houston Power
Texas Storm
Sudden Impact
TXFC

[tbjd33]

I wonder how many if any received a free entry... To come out to Cali and play at the same time as the Premier just doesn't make sense. Plans are already in order and budgets are set for most teams traveling on this list.

I'm sure there was some convincing needed!

[PDad]

Just in case anyone wanted the ASA link to this tournament to check it out:

http://www.teamusa.org/USA-Softball/Pla ... ament-Info

Thanks for posting this - I've been waiting for this announcement! I presume you found out from today's article on FullCount - 24 Junior Olympic Cup Teams announced, which has a lot more info.

I see they lowered the entry fee from $6k to $5k and expanded the payouts to top 12 (50%). I suspect they did that in response to input from the orgs - a novel concept for ASA.

I like it from the perspective that it puts pressure on PGF. It will be interesting to see if/what changes are made in response.

[Battle]

I wonder how many if any received a free entry... To come out to Cali and play at the same time as the Premier just doesn't make sense. Plans are already in order and budgets are set for most teams traveling on this list.

I'm sure there was some convincing needed!

It's ASA. That in itself makes it worth changing plans. ASA is not sweating PGF and never has contrary to belief. They know PGF will self destruct...ahum...I mean crumble before long anyway on it's own.

[PDad]

ASA is not sweating PGF and never has contrary to belief. They know PGF will self destruct...ahum...I mean crumble before long anyway on it's own.

Does this help ASA's 18G Nats? Perhaps you can decipher what Dutton said...

“One thing that’s a benefit,” Dutton continued, “is that, as expensive as things are getting with travelling and going to showcases and qualifiers, being able to have the opportunity to be awarded prize money and be awarded something based on previous year’s results was something we saw as beneficial to us. We had a ninth place finish at ASU GOLD Nationals and like that we’ll save money not having to chase a qualifier.”

What is awarded based on previous year's results - the JO Cup berth? Sounds like they're going to JO Cup instead of 18G Nats.

[tbjd33]

ASA is not sweating PGF and never has contrary to belief. They know PGF will self destruct...ahum...I mean crumble before long anyway on it's own.

Does this help ASA's 18G Nats? Perhaps you can decipher what Dutton said...

“One thing that’s a benefit,” Dutton continued, “is that, as expensive as things are getting with travelling and going to showcases and qualifiers, being able to have the opportunity to be awarded prize money and be awarded something based on previous year’s results was something we saw as beneficial to us. We had a ninth place finish at ASU GOLD Nationals and like that we’ll save money not having to chase a qualifier.”

What is awarded based on previous year's results - the JO Cup berth? Sounds like they're going to JO Cup instead of 18G Nats.

After reading that comment, is why I decided to pose the question. Cost savings is there I feel because of free entry.

I for one am an advocate for the JO concept. I could care less which tourney my DD plays in so long as the best are there. It is not a true Natty unless all the top teams are there. My DD plays for an Org which will not at this point play in ASA over PGF at this point.

After seeing other national orgs jump to ASA just might be cause for concern for PGF. Might be a few years but might also be beginning of end. Let's see what happens next year...

[PDad]

Last year's invites for 18U did better than the teams that qualified. See PGF Qualifier Berths for a breakdown of how all types of 18U berths fared.

I'd expect the invites to out perform the teams that qualified. You'd have to be a really bad at knowing who the top teams are to get that completely wrong. That said, they still got more than a few wrong.

Which teams do you feel are/were undeserving of an invite this year?

Lets see...

Returning Berths - 10 Teams
Jersey Intensity - 33rd
Gold Coast Hurricanes - 49th
Texas Glory - 49th

Invited Teams - 21 Teams
Atlanta Vipers - 33rd
Tennessee Fury - 33rd
Texas Bombers Gold - 33rd
Virginia Legends - 33rd
Arizona Storm - 49th
Irvine Sting - 49th
NW Bullets - 49th
Minors Gold - 65th

I asked about this year's invites (i.e. 2015). There are currently 14 listed - click on PGF National Championships and scroll down.

As for last year, do the math...

- You set the bar awfully high at 33rd since it overlaps the median and 31 berths were returning and invites - you really can't fault them for the 5 that finished 33rd.

- Quite a few of the 31 were bound to be playing each other in the first round - knocking each other into the losers bracket and/or eliminating each other. Clearly, having 6 in the bottom 1/3 is reasonable and/or to be expected.

[PDad]

After reading that comment, is why I decided to pose the question. Cost savings is there I feel because of free entry.

He states that prize money and not chasing a berth are what will lower their net cost. I don't think ASA needed to offer them free entry, especially not at $5-6k.

I for one am an advocate for the JO concept. I could care less which tourney my DD plays in so long as the best are there. It is not a true Natty unless all the top teams are there. My DD plays for an Org which will not at this point play in ASA over PGF at this point.

No one had all the top teams since PGF started, PGF came the closest at 18U, but their share decreased as you went down the age groups.

[tbjd33]

After reading that comment, is why I decided to pose the question. Cost savings is there I feel because of free entry.

He states that prize money and not chasing a berth are what will lower their net cost. I don't think ASA needed to offer them free entry, especially not at $5-6k.

I for one am an advocate for the JO concept. I could care less which tourney my DD plays in so long as the best are there. It is not a true Natty unless all the top teams are there. My DD plays for an Org which will not at this point play in ASA over PGF at this point.

No one had all the top teams since PGF started, PGF came the closest at 18U, but their share decreased as you went down the age groups.

It's easy to make the case ASA could conceivably offer entry to pull others in. All big orgs and tourneys use that as a tool to give incentive to other programs. It happens all the time. What makes this new ASA venture any different? Nothing... It's competing vs what everyone considers the best already. You'll never convince me otherwise cause I've been apart of free invites many times before for National tourneys. Then once in calls to others start. It's how this stuff works.

Once again I like the ASA option but it's an interesting discussion...