Take Me Out to the Ballgame: Hosting your Baseball Tournament in Lubbock, Texas

When planning a successful sporting event or tournament, event directors are in search of an ideal host city that checks all the boxes. From diversity of facilities, ease of transportation, access to collegiate-level resources, hotel accommodations, and a plethora of activities off the field, Lubbock, Texas knocks it out of the park. Lubbock Sports sat down with Continental Amateur Baseball Association (CABA) Senior Vice President of the West and Canada Steve Avila to discuss what makes Lubbock the premier destination to host your next sporting event.

LS: What attracted CABA to host the CABA 18U Wood Bat World Series in Lubbock, Texas?

SA: Well, the combination of being able to play here at Texas Tech and Lubbock Christian University, and obviously with the high school facilities here, I mean, they’re outstanding. So, it’s the destination. But being able to play in front of a high-power Division 1 school like Texas Tech and a high-power division school like Lubbock Christian University really takes it over the edge. The coaching staffs have been outstanding. The kids love the fact that they get to play here. So, facility wise and the combination of Lubbock Sports with Scott Harrison; It’s a no-brainer.

LS: What advantages have you found by hosting your tournament in Lubbock, Texas?

SA: Everybody knows the colleges in this area. The athletes want to come here and play in front of these college coaches. Because there are so many colleges around here, the coaches are coming in to see the players. And the athletes are excited to be able to play in front of two good programs. So, in my opinion, that’s your biggest advantage.

LS: What benefits have you experienced outside of the ballpark when coming to Lubbock?

SA: Everybody wants to come here. The hotels here, the eateries in addition to the facilities make it the real deal. Our contacts with our host hotels have been outstanding. They are very accommodating to the teams.

LS: What has feedback from the players been like?

SA: Our focus is to get these kids in front of coaches and college programs that they would never get the chance to be in front of and vice versa. They are giving the college coaches the opportunity to see kids that they don’t get to from different parts of the country as well. I mean, you see these kids after the games taking pictures in the facilities. They love it. That’s why they play here; To play at a facility like Texas Tech.

LS: How has your experience been working with Lubbock Sports?

SA: The support and hospitality is why we’re back. We’re in this is long term. This is our second year hosting here and Scott Harrison’s been outstanding to work with. I mean, with Lubbock Sports I couldn’t ask for anything more. We have the opportunity here. For me, it’s because of Scott, because of Lubbock Sports and the support they give. We have international teams here as well as teams from across the country. Scott’s been supportive. Once again, the facilities and Lubbock Sports make hosting here a no-brainer.

LS: What does your future partnership with Lubbock Sports look like?

SA: We’d like to be here for the next 25 years! Next year, we will be here in July with a full international bracket. The biggest thing I would emphasize, obviously, is what Lubbock Sports does for us. It allows us to grow, and we project this tournament to only get bigger with time.

For more information on hosting your next sporting event in Lubbock, Texas, visit our website. #LubbockKnowsSports