After thorough deliberation, the Softball SA Board wishes to inform our community that we will not be live-streaming the upcoming Under 23 Women's Nationals, to be held at West Beach from Tuesday, December 12 to Sunday, December 17, 2023.
 
This was not an easy decision to make, especially understanding that we have provided this service in the past. We explored several options, however, ultimately it would be the softball community in South Australia that would bear the cost of the live- stream, either directly, or in the form of reduced gate revenue - which is a critical factor in our decision to host national events. Events such as these need to contribute to our financial sustainability and provide direct benefit to the sport in South Australia.
 
It's important to note that Softball Australia did not prohibit us from broadcasting the competition using the provider of our choosing.
 
Any future live-streaming of national competitions held in South Australia will also be considered on a case-by-case basis, thoroughly considering the outcomes from the Under 23 competition and exploring potential alternative models for live-stream in the future. This includes the Opens Men's competition in March 2024.
 
We understand this may be disappointing news for our community, here in South Australia and nationally, however this decision has been made, in its entirety, with consideration to the long-term financial sustainability of our much-loved sport in South Australia.
 
For those in South Australia we encourage you to come along to West beach to experience the competition live, add to the event atmosphere and support our talented South Australian team. I'm sure they will appreciate the support of the local crowd.

Peter Williams
Chair
Softball South Australia