New Era Cap Co. is making moves to place Buffalo on the map as a premier destination for young baseball players looking to compete in a large-scale baseball tournament. The New Era Cap Classic runs the weekends of July 17th-20th and July 31st-August 3rd, 2008.
On the final day of each weekend, championship games will be held at Dunn Tire Park. The baseball tournament, the first of its kind from New Era, will attract over 140 elite youth baseball teams, an estimated 3,500 players, parents, coaches, and scouts from across the United States and Canada.
Games will be played at area parks, high schools, and colleges until finalists meet at Dunn Tire Park for the championship. When players are not competing, Buffalo hopes to lure families to attractions like the Naval Park, and excellent restaurants.
“The announcement of this event is an indicator that amateur sports continue to be a major economic engine for Buffalo’s hospitality industry,” said Richard Geiger, President & CEO, Buffalo Niagara Convention & Visitors Bureau. “We are thrilled that a company with New Era Cap’s brand recognition is hosting a tournament here in Buffalo. This will add to the long lineup of events that help make Buffalo one of the top amateur sports destinations in the country.”
New Era is pleased with the popularity of the tournament in its infancy. “We had over 200 teams apply for a spot to play in the tournament – for a tournament in its first year, these kind of results are a great achievement,” said Gerry Matos, New Era Senior VP, Marketing. “We see this as only the beginning of an event we look to expand significantly in the years to come.”
NECC is geared towards elite baseball teams from across the United States and Canada. With New Era's long term relationship with Major League Baseball and other organizations such as Minor League Baseball, USA Baseball, Little League Baseball and many top ranked college baseball teams, the tournament will likely attract the attention of baseball coaches, players and scouts at all levels of play.
For information on the tournament, times, and locations, check out http://necc.neweracap.com/