Jul 19, 2018 4 min read

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Dick’s Sporting Goods has extended its sponsorship for the Pony League World Series that runs Aug. 10-15 in Washington Park. The announcement was made at Thursday’s news conference at Pony headquarters in North Franklin Township.

The other major development was that AT&T SportsNet will televise five series games, including the championship game, which will be held Wednesday, Aug. 15, at Lew Hays Pony Field.

“Dick’s financial support puts us on solid footing,” said Bob Gregg, president of World Series Tournaments Inc. “We used to fund it with program sales, game operations, admissions, concessions, souvenirs and 50-50. We had to pay all the bills with that because we didn’t have sponsors. As it got more expensive, sponsorships became more important. The financial foundation that is there because of Dick’s and the Chamber of Commerce Promotion Agency is vital.”

Dick’s Sporting Goods’ extension runs for three years and will bring the number of years it has been the title sponsor to six.

“It’s a natural fit,” said Ashley Bezilla, sponsorship manager at Dick’s Sporting Goods. “We believe sports makes people better and that’s what Pony believes in, too. We’re happy to participate, especially with it being a local organization and a local event.”

Dick’s, which is headquartered in Coraopolis, will provide all teams with uniforms and equipment and be the official retailer of the series. Players will have the uniforms made to specification and will be able to keep them at series’ end.

“My goal has been to continue to enhance the event,” Gregg said. “If we would not have had a name sponsor, Dick’s Sporting Goods wouldn’t be here, putting us on solid footing. The Tourism Agency, if I hadn’t said let’s figure out how we can put the games on video so the whole world could see what’s happening in Washington County, they would have never provided the financial support to make that happen. The world series would have left.”

The Observer-Reporter will again be a major sponsor of the series and have an Observer-Reporter Day on Friday, Aug. 10. The Home Run Derby and Fastest Runner contests will be held at 11 a.m. and the joint service clubs will provide the players lunch at noon at the Kiwanis Pavillion located near the field.

AT&T SportsNet, home network for the Pittsburgh Pirates, will broadcast the opener between the North Zone champion and the Caribbean Zone champion, at 5:30 p.m., Friday, Aug. 10; host Washington’s game vs. the East Zone champion, at noon, Saturday, Aug. 11; two winners’ bracket games Monday, Aug. 13; and the championship game.

Five teams have qualified for Pony League World Series so far: Vienna, Austria; Tijuana, Mexico; Yaguate, San Cristobal, D.R.; Chinese Taipei; and host Washington. Five more spots have yet to be determined.

All Pony League World Series games will be accessible across on MLB.com mobile and online platforms. WJPA radio 1450-AM will carry all games with Mark Uriah, former Pittsburgh Pirates broadcaster Lanny Frattare, West Virginia Black Bears play-by-play announcer Randy Gore and Nate Regotti calling the action. The Observer-Reporter will report on each game and tweet the action throughout the series.

Dick’s Sporting Goods will hold a FanFest Thursday, Aug. 9. The event is kid-friendly, complete with interactive games, a visit by the Pirate Parrot and the Bucco Brigade and will be held at Dick’s Sporting Goods in Strabane Square, South Strabane Township, from 6 to 7:30 p.m.

“We’re thrilled with the growth of the Pony League World Series over the past five, six years,” said Jeff Kotula, president of the Washington County Tourism Promotion Agency. “We at Tourism, with Pony baseball, have made a fundamental effort to grow this important event in Washington County.”

Kotula estimates the world series provides an estimated $2 million impact on the local economy.

The Champions League Game returns at 10 a.m., Saturday, Aug. 11, and the Breakfast of Champions at the DoubleTree by Hilton in the Meadow Lands will take place at 9 a.m., Sunday, Aug. 12.