Each of our issues celebrates a change of seasons. This one hits mailboxes just as spring is edging into the beautiful golden time of summer, when baseball, softball, fishing and beach volleyball, as well as plenty of other sports (including surfing, featured on our cover), move front and center in our collective consciousness. This issue also arrives as the 2024 Olympics are on final approach to Paris. That makes this summer an all-around great time to be an athlete, a hosting community, an event owner or even a fan. Let’s dive in.
The most recent research from the Physical Activity Council puts U.S. participation for baseball in 2023 at 16.65 million players ages 6 and up, which is a nice jump of 7.6 percent from the year before. With all the choices youth and adults have for recreation, it’s exciting to see participation continue to climb, with plenty of venues to host events. more....