BUILDING THE BASES
A new Erasmus+ project is emerging to strengthen the foundations of baseball and softball in Europe. Titled BUILDING THE BASES, this initiative brings together the Bulgarian Baseball and Softball Federation, Tex Town Tigers (Netherlands), and Baseball Lab (Austria) with a shared mission: to help clubs grow stronger, more organized, and more sustainable.
While the project addresses development and performance, its purpose goes far deeper. BUILDING THE BASES aims to support clubs that often struggle with limited resources, outdated processes, and a lack of strategic direction. By offering practical tools and a clear framework for club growth, the project seeks to help European clubs not only survive — but thrive.
The project introduces a structured system that helps clubs improve governance, strengthen operations, and create long-term plans. Over 18 months, partners will deliver workshops on strategic planning, athlete development, membership growth, marketing, and branding. They will also develop a Digital Club Development Handbook — a complete online toolkit with templates for governance, planning, fundraising, volunteer management, and more.
This toolkit will become a core resource for clubs across Europe, helping them handle the everyday challenges of running a sports organization.
BUILDING THE BASES aims to create long-lasting effects across Europe. In the short term, clubs will gain practical tools and clearer strategies. In the medium term, organizations will see increased membership, stronger governance, and better local engagement. And in the long term, the project will help build a more balanced and competitive European baseball and softball environment — with more clubs, better structures, and stronger athlete pathways.
EUROPE WIDE SURVEY STARTS NOW!
As part of the initial phase, the project consortium is conducting a European-wide survey aimed at understanding the current situation, challenges, and needs within our federations and clubs. Everybody can connect - Clubs, Players, Coaches and Parents. Please help us by filling out the form prepared for your position within Baseball in Europe. CLICK HERE
THIS IS THE PARTNERS OF BUILDING THE BASES
The Bulgarian Baseball Federation is one of the leading partners of theis ERASMUS Project. With the perspective of a smaller Federation the interst of preparing tools to increase the chances to grow the game all over Europe is a valuable asset for this project.
https://bbsf.info/
The history of Tex Town Tigers begins in the 1950s, when baseball was still a virtually unknown sport in Enschede. The initiative to introduce this American sport to the city originated from the municipal Department of Physical Education, Sports and Recreation. The Tex Town Tigers share their vast knowledge in presenting Baseball to the youth.
https://www.textowntigers.nl/
Baseball-Lab is an initiative of longterm Baseball Club-Co-Founder Martin Zoufal, who is still involved in developing Baseball in Austria. The idea of Clubs cooperating in many aspects (all clubs in the end need the same), is the perspective that may help to set up a network for easy and benifitial network amongst all clubs across Europe.
http://baseball-lab.eu/
The European Baseball Federation WBSC Europe is another partner of this project that will coordinate and help navigate through the process of gethering valuable information and data for all baseball entities in Europe. All participating federations and clubs will be embeded in the outcome of the Building the Bases project.
https://www.wbsceurope.org/