Is “Little League” a national organisation? I always assumed it just meant a kids baseball game and that would be something run by the local community. If it’s the former...why does such an organisation even need to exist?
I also had always assumed that Little League was just local kids baseball, but it's a big organization that goes back to 1939. It has millions of members, its own official rules, rating system, World Series, board of directors, TV partners, and museum. It even has a federal charter in US law.[1] It's a bit alarming to discover that something you thought was casual turns out to be a giant organization.
There are a lot of local kids' baseball leagues that aren't Little League, it's worth mentioning.
The one I played in when I was a kid was called "(Local Area Name) Baseball for Boys" (yeah, it was a while ago).
Probably the people running Little League have all kinds of lucrative deals going on, as is the norm with "non-profits".
According to the article linked below, in 2012 Little League had revenue of almost $25 million and assets of more than $85 million, and the CEO raked in $430,000 per year in salary.
One f the reasons I hate sports that rely on governing bodies so much. it is not about the sport or the athletes, i is just about the functionaries ego, power and influence. Worst are, of course, the olympic sports and commiees, immediately followed by soccer.
Inever understood why I need a national olympic association to do wrestling, or the FIFA to play soccer. On the other hand, in martial arts (competitive, not traditional), you see the same thing all the time. Kickboxing assoiations springing up because one guy doesn't like the other guy. And because he wants to be able to regulate equipment, that he sells himself. Luckily, you get away ignoring that. Nobody cares if you are part of various associations. They just look at you strangely when you show up with other assiciation's ID cards.
In the semi-pro segment it gets ugly so. With the assiciation setting, and judging, fights you have to play ball or you will loose. Luckily, kids are treated very kindly.
Same question here. I guess I was never too deep in local baseball growing up, but I played on a team in a local league that did 'state' finals (but nothing national). There were also 'select' clubs that I played on a couple years before deciding to focus on volleyball going into high school, but AFAICR they weren't affiliated with any national organization.
