Tournaments and showcases have become very popular among amateur baseball players, especially for those interested in playing at the next level. Attending these types of events are an effective way to build exposure to college coaches and even professional scouts. If you haven’t realized it by now, the larger organizations like Perfect Game and Prep Baseball Report headline the amateur baseball event industry. These organizations operate at a national level and organize thousands of events every year. While players should certainly consider these well know events, they should also explore the lesser known organizations, such as Firecracker Baseball.
Like many of the smaller baseball event organizers, Firecracker operates at a more regional level, mostly out of the Northeast. Looking at their 2020 schedule, Firecracker had plans for 10 tournaments and 17 showcase events, spanning from Pennsylvania to Maine. A few of these events were cancelled as a result of the COVID 19 pandemic, but it’s safe to expect a similar number of events in a typical year
About Firecracker
Firecracker has been around for over a decade, having worked with over 1,000 teams and 12,000 players throughout the years. The organization’s following has also grown a great deal during that time. This is especially evident through the positive trend of college coaches that attend Firecracker baseball events. A few years back, one could expect around 40 – 50 coaches in attendance throughout the year. That number is now in the hundreds. Last year’s 4th of July showcase tournament marked their highest college coach attendance at a single event with over 50 coaches present. While baseball seems to be the primary focus, the organization also operates a number of events for softball.
Firecracker also boasts about their customer repeat rate, and for good reason. Not only does it speak to the overall experience they provide, but it shows that players and parents find a lot of value in the events. About 4 out of every 5 players return for a second event. Firecracker has a customer focused approach, with excellent communication, and a user friendly website for showcase and tournament registration.
Why are Firecracker Baseball Events One of A Kind?
One of Firecracker’s core beliefs is that tournaments and showcase events are typically expensive, yet they fall short of expectations. As a result, the organization has put an emphasis on implementing a unique twist to the baseball event experiences they offer. In addition to showcasing players’ baseball skill sets and building their exposure to college coaches, Firecracker also provides their attendees with a quality travel experience.
Firecracker event offerings can be best broken out into three areas. The first two are pretty standard across all amateur baseball events. The last piece is what sets them apart from the countless other tournament and showcase operators.
The first component is the standard showcase offering. At a Firecracker showcase, players will receive statistical evaluations, promotion through social media channels, video footage opportunities, online player profiles, and a thorough evaluation from the Firecracker staff. Players will also have the opportunity to work closely with college coaches, often in a one on one setting.
Firecracker also operates championship style tournament events. Every team has an opportunity to compete in four to five games in the initial stages of the tournament, with a championship structure that follows. In these tournaments, players have an opportunity to compete against other highly talented teams at quality facilities. Firecracker rents out the top facilities for the tournaments they operate, and they strive to hold a majority of their events on either professional or college level fields.
The third piece, which is what makes them unique, is the social component to their events. Firecracker sets up beer/wine socials, barbecue nights, nights at minor league games, and events at amusement parks. By including these activities, it ensures that players and families have a well rounded experience that goes beyond the amateur baseball event itself. Many families view the events as a mini vacation, and use it as a multipurpose trip. The social events also allow coaches to interact with players and families off the field, which is really important.
Video Footage Capabilities
Firecracker also offers an optional video package when players attend a showcase event. This allows players to purchase high quality recruiting video footage at a discounted rate. With the package, the Firecracker staff will capture a player’s 60 yard dash, pitching/catching work, defensive evaluations, and offensive evaluations. Along with the video footage, players will receive additional promotion through the Firecracker social media channels. The player’s footage will also be featured on their Youtube channel. Firecracker’s digital media platforms contain over 25k subscribers which generates about 5 million views on a yearly basis.