Individual players who play on Little League teams are also permitted to participate in non-Little League Baseball and Softball programs.
However, players who do participate in any non-Little League activity, and miss games or practices because of such participation, may be suspended or dismissed from their Little League team by action of the local Little League Board of Directors.
Uniforms, equipment, and any assets belonging to the local Little League (including uniforms bearing the required Little League shoulder patch), cannot be used for non-Little League activities, or in any game or tournament not specifically approved by Little League International. Any player or team that does so may be declared ineligible for further participation in Little League for that year, by action of the Tournament Committee or Charter Committee in Williamsport. The Charter Committee also reserves the right to suspend or revoke the local Little League’s charter for such violations.
Little League International respects the rights of a parent(s), or legal guardian(s), to allow a child to participate in any Little League activity. However, Little League International also has the right to limit participation in its activities to players who comply with its rules, regulations, and policies.
Little League wants parents to understand the potential dangers of allowing a child to participate in programs in which limited rules and regulations may exist – while recognizing our program’s rules that are designed to protect players from injury, such as Pitch Counts and equipment rules. Little League also hopes that parents understand the costs often associated with “Travel Ball” may be prohibitive.
Understanding the Cost of Little League® International Tournament
Little League International’s rules, regulations, and policies have been formulated over more than seven decades to ensure a safe, fun, and healthy environment for children. At the start of the International Tournament, each league is assessed a $300 entry fee per tournament team enrolled at the Little League, Intermediate (50/70), Junior League, and Senior League divisions of play. The Tournament Entry Fee for the 8- to 10-Year-Old and 9- to 11-Year-Old divisions is $150. Little League International uses the funds raised through these fees to help offset the direct financial assistance that Little League International gives to leagues for teams advancing to Region and World Series tournaments. Little League International’s Tournament entry fee is only charged at the start of the tournament, and 100% of the funds gathered through that fee go back to Little League’s tournament reimbursements to local leagues advancing at the highest levels of the International Tournament, helping leagues as they continue through the tournament. Additionally, leagues advancing to a Region tournament are eligible for reimbursement, in the form of a credit, at a rate of $1 per mile for each round-trip mile to the tournament site above 150 miles. Little League International is able to provide this reimbursement thanks, in part, to the tournament entry fee.
In fact, Little League International pays all the expenses of the dozens of teams that reach the World Series level in Little League Baseball and Softball, including travel, meals, and lodging. The local Little League and the team’s players, manager, or coaches, do not need to raise any funds to be able to participate in the Little League Baseball World Series.