Premier Fastpitch/ESPN Rise

[silverstreak]

It seemed like the premier/espn rise was going to challenge ASA for the best teams after last year, but I see on the Grapettes tourney schedule that ESPN Rise and Premier have gotten a divorce. Do people expect Premier have much pull anymore, or does it fall back with the other non-ASA "championships" (NSA/IFA/USSSA, etc...) to a battle for distant second place. Is everyone still going to attend the qualifier in late June? We're making our schedule, and we're trying to figure out how critical it is to be at that tourney.

[Iluvblue]

ESPN had ZERO to do with the college coaches going to Premier, and IMO, will have zero to do with teams deciding to go to, or skip premier nationals.

[NumeroUno]

If you look at the teams coming to Premier on the web site you will see all the best teams nation wide are coming.

Here is the best place to see what is going on

http://premiergirlsfastpitch.com/?f971a200

They seem to be keeping it updated

[Old Darter]

ASA = Cake
Premier = Cake + Icing (tastes better than plain ol' cake)
Premier + ESPN = Cake+Icing+Sprinkles (Sprinkles makes the cake look good, but doesn't affect the taste)

I can live without sprinkles.

[watchtonsofsoftball]

I asked about this very thing a few weeks back. What I have learned is 18G ASA is the week prior in San Diego, and being just a couple of hours away and a week later I have to think the coaches will stay a week longer and attend Premier. So atleast this year it will have little issues with exposure and college coaches attending. The major coaches will be there as some of the best teams will be in attendance and teams across the nation will always be in pursuit of california kids. I hear what blue is saying on having no effect, I think people are just tired of playing in some middle of nowhere town for an entire week to play softball. I still have to believe that not having ESPN as a partner is still a blow. Maybe its just a blow to the TD's??? Im not really sure on that part of it. ESPN is a pretty big household name, to say it will have no effect I think is a bit presumptious.

[Iluvblue]

How many games did ESPN show last year? What will change with ESPN NOT being there?

i just dont see it as having zero impact on the big teams. I dont see how ESPN was a help to any of the teams that wanted to attend Premier.

I know for us, it will have ZERO impact on what we will try to do, and we will be trying to attend premier at 14, 16, and 18s.

[sbphil]

From at least our team's standpoint, ESPN /Rise either being in or out of the Premier mix is pretty much a non-factor. Many of the original teams who joined Premier, meaning those who committed to the new organization even before we left Oklahoma City and the 2009 ASA Gold Nationals, made that committment before ESPN/Rise was officially part of the equation. We didn't reach that decision because our players would be on television. We made it because experienced softball coaches were going to be, and are, at the helm of Premier and the new organization could serve our kids in ways that ASA had long since forgotten how to accomplsih. I can only speak for myself and our coaches and team, but I hear this across the board in Gold softball, Premier Nationals was an overwhelming success! From the location, to the facilities, the excellent competition, wide range of hotels, ease of getting to the host city, the weather, the opening ceremonies on the beach, recreational opportunities when not playing, virtually everything you can think of, made Premier Nationals truly outstanding. ESPN/Rise was simply a nice add-on. As a matter of fact, the televised game was between the team that beat us in the winner's bracket finals and the one that sent us home, and I am yet to have seen it on TV. That isn't because of sour grapes, as I really like and admire the coaches and players on both those teams. The SoCal A's are great people and great champions and Impact Gold is always a skilled and respected opponent. It's just that the significance of the event to me is about the very best Gold softball, not if it is on television or not. I believe that because of the tournament's success that most, perhaps all, of the top teams will return to Premier, no matter what ASA does. ASA had its chance to do what Premier has done, but they fell out of contact with their constituency and the rest is history. I am totally confident that the very best Gold Nationals will again be taking place in Huntington Beach at season's end. If network TV chooses to be there they will be covering an outstanding event. If not, the show will go on.