News from the NYC Borough Cup
The days of New York City’s youth baseball players leaving the area each summer to play in competitive tournaments are over.
The Borough Cup, a thrilling citywide tournament that culminates with championship games at elite venues, Yankee Stadium and MCU Park, was the recipient of tremendous validation and funding last Thursday when the Major League Baseball Player’s Association awarded the event with a grant as part of their Youth Baseball Partnerships.
Entering its third year, the Borough Cup has given NYC something it never had – a first-class, competitive baseball tournament fielding teams from the ages of 8 through 14. There also is a topnotch softball tournament.
Several former MLB stars that are city natives such as John Franco, Willie Randolph and Lee Mazzilli, have been behind the Cup since Day one.
“I think we’ve been losing interest in baseball in NYC at the grass roots level because we haven’t had the facilities and support needed to grow the game,” Franco said. The Borough Cup provides that and more.
“What kid wouldn’t want to play at Yankee Stadium or MCU Park?,” Franco added. “It’s something they’ll remember for the rest of their lives.”
Former Mets GM Omar Minaya, a native of the Dominican Republican who was raised in Queens, was one of the driving forces in securing the funds. Minaya has been a passionate proponent of promoting youth baseball in NYC for his entire adult life.
“So much of who I am today can be attributed to the opportunities I got from the great game of baseball,” Minaya said. “Growing up in Queens, baseball provided valuable life lessons and a healthy option after school, on weekends and throughout the summer.To be able to give back to young baseball players in the city is something every players thrilled to be apart of. The Borough Cup is helping to keep the game we love thriving.”
Radio personality and Syracuse grad Craig Carton also has been a huge supporter of the Borough Cup. He declared on his wild popular morning show on WFAN- Boomer & Carton – that this will be a breakout year for the tournament.
More than 3,000 baseball players representing all five boroughs have participated in the Borough Cup. Since its inception, the goal has been to provide youth players with a low-cost but high-level option of playing summer baseball after Little League season ends.
“The thing I like best about the Borough Cup is that kids from the Bronx get to play against kids from Staten Island and form friendships they never would have made before,” Franco said. “They might end up playing college ball together. It brings the parents together. It brings the city together.”
In addition to baseball, the Borough Cup has expanded to football. And plans are in place to introduce a citywide basketball tournament. This was the vision of Franco, Carton and Brooklyn Cyclones assistant GM Gary Perone, founders of the NYC All Star Sports Group.
Registration for the Borough Cup is open. The Grand Opening Ceremony and start of pool play is July 18. Several former MLB stars will be on hand in addition to several high-ranking city officials from all five boroughs.
The championship games will be played on August 9th at Yankee Stadium and August 15th and 16th at MCU Park. The days of NYC youth baseball teams having to travel to find elite summer competition are over.
RAISE THE CUP: To register for the Borough Cup, simply go to www.BoroughCup.com and click on the Register Online box which is prominently displayed on the front page.
The Borough Cup offers tournament competition beginning at the Under-8 age group and progressing on a yearly age basis through Under-14. Registration fees range as low as $350 for multiple teams to $550 for one team.
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