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Natasha Watley SOFTBALL - to play professionally in Japan for the Toyota Motor Corporation
This year, there are nine USA and three Australian softball players under contract to six Japanese teams. Each team is limited to two foreigners per team. “Tash” will also share the roster with fellow Team USA medalist Monica Abbott. At a time when NPF (National Pro Fastpitch) has been reduced to five teams, after New England folded, the Japanese teams thrive due to being company supported. The foreign players are paid employees of the companies who sponsor their teams which in effect, the players are given a salary position with the company and are also paid under contract to play for the softball team. Other benefits, such as housing and per diem are negotiable, as are the contracts. A question which emerges: why are there not more professional teams in the US which are company backed? Why not have dual purpose contracts? ASA/USA Softball did well just to get funding for four summer events for this year’s not-yet-selected national team. NPF should certainly welcome new sponsors. The sport would benefit if it could attract sponsors for Women’s Majors and for 23-Under softball. Pro softball cannot survive if all the post-college support has to come from equipment manufacturers, some of whom have had to cut down on their support at the college and especially the travel ball level.

posted : 04-Apr-09

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