REGULAR SEASON

The BASL regular season runs from mid-April through early August. Teams play double-headers (usually) on either Saturday or Sunday each weekend. No games are scheduled for the Memorial Day or Independence Day weekends. Games are played primarily on fields in Manhattan and on Randall’s Island. The league also uses fields in Bloomfield, New Jersey; Cunningham Park, Queens; Prospect Park and Red Hook, Brooklyn; and on Staten Island.

PLAYOFFS

The BASL holds its Playoffs during two or three weekends in August. All teams in each division will have the opportunity to participate.

GAY WORLD SERIES

The league usually holds a mini-tournament on the Saturday before Gay Pride Sunday to determine which teams will be eligible to represent New York at the annual Gay Softball World Series.

BASL MEMBERSHIP

Besides offering the opportunity to play softball in a gay-friendly environment, membership in the BASL also includes the following social activities:

• The Season Opening Party, held at the beginning of each season.
• The End-of-Season Awards Party/Elections. Teams and individual players are presented with awards for their achievements during the regular season and the playoffs. This event also includes the annual Elections for league officers.
• The annual Holiday Party in December.
• The opportunity to play in softball tournaments throughout the U.S. and Canada.

FEES & COSTS

The BASL player fee is currently $80 per player. The nonplayer fee is $35. Other costs include approximately $50 per player for regular-season umpire fees (the league pays for umpires during the playoffs); uniforms (if not covered by a team’s sponsor); and traveling expenses for out-of-town tournaments, for those who choose to participate. Some teams hold fund-raisers to help defray these costs.

RECRUITMENT

The BASL holds its recruitment days in late March and early April. Check the Calendar pages for dates, and look for announcements on the Home page for complete details. Prospective new members will have the opportunity to practice and scrimmage. Current league members and team managers will be on hand to help with the practices and to answer questions. Existing teams have the opportunity to draft new players to fill open roster spots from among the prospective new players. New players have the option of joining an established team or being part of a new team formed from nondrafted new players.

the BASL Executive Committee: