August 31, 2017. The National Games baseball game was suspended yesterday. Taking advantage of this gap, the Chinese Baseball Association and Major League Baseball (MLB) held a strategic cooperation signing ceremony at the No. 1 Baseball Stadium of Tianjin Tuanbo Sports Center. The person in charge of the Chinese Baseball Association revealed that in the future, the Chinese baseball team hopes to participate in MLB competitions as a club. At the same time, China will also learn from MLB’s experience to establish a league company to operate the Chinese Baseball League.
The Chinese baseball team hopes to compete in the United States
It is more appropriate to say that the Chinese Baseball Association has signed a contract with MLB. It would be more appropriate to say "renewal." Over the past decade or so, the good cooperation between the Chinese Baseball Association and MLB has continued. MLB has always provided support and assistance to the Chinese Baseball Association in terms of the Chinese national team's training and competition in the United States, as well as the training of coaches, referees and athletes. In addition, they also promote baseball in 200 primary schools in China and have established three youth training centers in Nanjing, Wuxi and Changzhou in Jiangsu Province. The most direct manifestation of the close cooperation between the two parties at this National Games is that the chief referees of the baseball and softball games of this National Games are all from the United States.
During the signing ceremony, Chen Xu, Secretary-General of the Chinese Baseball Association, revealed a new idea for the future construction and development of the national team: Let the national team go to the United States to participate in MLB competitions in the form of a club. Chen Xu said: "We hope to select the strongest players and establish a professional club in the United States. We believe that in 5 to 8 years, the Chinese baseball team can be promoted to enter the Major League 2A (the preparatory stage of the MLB League, from high to low 3A , 2A and 1A) level. "
Chinese women's softball team has successfully "tested the waters"
This idea of the Chinese Baseball Association was born out of the "testing waters" of the Chinese softball team. In early June this year, the Chinese softball team participated in the Major League Baseball competition in the name of the Shougang Golden Eagles Softball Club. Although they lost more than they won, the girls played 47 games in 70 days. Whether it was the intensity of the game or the ability of their opponents, it was simply unmatched in China. A reporter from the Beijing Evening News was also on the sidelines of the National Games softball field yesterday and interviewed two girls from the Beijing softball team who went to the United States with the Shougang Golden Eagle Softball Club this year. They both said they had gained a lot. "There is indeed a certain gap between domestic and foreign levels, but I think if our training mode is improved, it will be no problem to compete with foreign teams. After all, we have won a few games later." said Wang Mengyan, catcher of the Beijing team.
Beijing team third baseman Liu Mengmeng said: "American pitchers are different from domestic pitchers. They have different ideas and routes when looking at the ball, and the ball speed is much faster than domestic pitchers. I feel that this competition has greatly improved me."
The details of the competition still need to be negotiated
Although the Chinese baseball team has good wishes, it has not been finalized whether it can participate in the United States. Jim Small, MLB's vice president of Asia-Pacific affairs, said yesterday that the details of the matter still need to be negotiated and have not yet been finalized.
As a commercial entity, MLB vigorously promotes baseball in China and provides as much convenience as possible for the development of Chinese baseball. The purpose is still to value China's vast market. Small said that MLB's promotion of baseball in China does not only target the top national teams, but also starts at multiple levels including youth, reserve players, coaches and referees. "To truly develop baseball, it is not enough at one level."
But for the Chinese Baseball Association, the 2020 Tokyo Olympics is imminent. Under the premise of baseball and softball returning to the Olympics, the strength of the national team must be quickly improved. It is one of the most urgent needs of the moment. Therefore, there are still some differences in priorities between the Chinese Baseball Association and MLB in terms of their respective demands.
Chinese baseball looks forward to professionalism
Of course, the Chinese Baseball Association also has ideas on other aspects of promoting and developing Chinese baseball. For example, the Chinese Baseball League gained momentum in the first few years of this century, but then gradually faded away due to various reasons. "The league company will definitely be established." Chen Xu said, "It will be completely different from the original league. We will adopt a completely professional way to operate it, and will separate management and management similar to basketball. A league company will be established, with each team participating. The league is in operation.”
After this year’s National Games, the Chinese Baseball Association will communicate with the six existing teams in the league about professional transformation."We hope to transform them in a professional direction as soon as possible." Chen Xu said, "There will be a transition period between the status of professional athletes in local teams and the status of professional players in professional leagues. Beijing has now established professional clubs. We are negotiating with players and teams to see how to change the status of players. Next, we will promote Tianjin, Jiangsu and other teams to transfer to professional clubs as soon as possible, because our national team will also play in international leagues as professional clubs. , these will all be converted, I believe this conversion will be very fast. "
Source: Beijing Evening News reporter Yuan Hongheng, Li Yuanfei, Kong Ning, Chen Jiakun
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