I have heard rumors that the current contract for the TOC in Florida is up this year. Don't know if that is true or not but in SSUSA considering a change in location for future tournaments when the current contract does expire?

I'm pretty sure there is still 5 yrs left in the current contract based on previous discussions on the TOC...

The rumors are inaccurate ... TOC contract runs through 2021 ... This could be a discussion topic at that time, unless the contract is extended before then ...

Staff, have you given any thought to moving the TOC to November and the Winter Nationals and Winter Worlds to February?

Staff

A suggestion might be to get some feedback from the membership before renewing or extending.

In my opinion, the TOC should be centrally located in the US making the travel time equal for all. Some of the teams from CA that I know have qualified and opted out is due to cost and time so close to the end of the holidays.

Just my humble opinion ( but still hoping to qualify for TOC some day).

WDodge22, somewhere like OKC or Dallas would be perfect.
Assuming of course, they have sufficient fields available .

Why would anyone want to go to OKC in the winter?

November in St. G.

St. George would be a great place for this event. Phoenix would be another option...

Timing more than location is the present issue.

Don't mind Florida. Would like to see it moved back a month. Despite what you might think, it can be damn cold in Winter Park in Feb. Made it several years, there was frost on the ground for the early games and the stores were out of cold weather gear.

Also, if there is mis-rated team that wins multiple TOC tournament spots, offer a spot to some of the 2nd place finishers. Sorry, but when you make it to the final two in a large field, you are a champion. As we all know, the difference between 1st and 2nd is only a hit, error or bad call. Try and make it at least an 8 team field rather that 2 or 3 playing for the TOC.

Sorry, but second place does not make you a champion. In any sport.

Although I agree that 2nd place doesn't make you a champion, I also think births should be passed down. It doesn't do the TOC any favors if a team wins 3 or 4 ring events & doesn't attend the tourney.

And there are plenty of precedents from professional sports of wild card teams going on to win big in the WS and Super Bowl.

Wild card teams can get in with losing record. If you allow (even second place teams) that to happen,it is no longer the TOC, it's just a tournament.

There it is, straight fire from The Wagon . . .

Must be a money thing.

I believe that the current contract runs through 2021. While at the TOC, a credible source shared with me that the contract with the Central Florida Sports Marketing Association had been extended for an additional 10 years. If true, the bottom line is that the TOC will be in Florida for the foreseeable future.

gott2play if that is indeed correct then maybe it could be moved back a couple weeks to generate the possibility of playing in some better weather...

B94,

Not sure moving the tourney back two weeks would guarantee better weather. I've been to the TOC four times over the past six years and have had bad weather two of those years. The other two, the weather was great.

We were just there this past February and had the Saturday afternoon games cancelled due to rain. We arrived for our 8am game on Sunday and were greeted with 40 degree temps and 25 plus MPH winds...not ideal softball weather. As long as the TOC is in Central Florida during the Feb time-frame, weather will be a consideration.

In a previous post in this thread, SSUSA Staff says the contract runs through 2021 ... gott2play's credible source says the contract was extended for an additional 10 years ... Who's right?