The World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) President Riccardo Fraccari announced that the WBSC will distribute $5.2 million (US) in prize money for this November’s WBSC Premier 12, which will be an overall increase of 40% which is more than the inaugural edition of the international baseball event in 2015.
Part of the new prize money introduced is a bonus system that rewards a team for each win and winning the opening round – in addition to how a team places in the final standings.
WBSC President Riccardo Fraccari told the media “This Premier 12 will be one of the top major international sports events of 2019 and one of the most important international baseball events in recent history, and the increase in prize money directly reflects this.”
He continued “And with the introduction of bonus prize money for each game as well as winning the group stage, every game will count and be exciting to play and watch. The teams, players — and their leagues and national federations — are the main actors here, and it was a priority for WBSC to launch this new prize money structure and redistribute the revenue accordingly while helping to grow our sport globally.”
Top Prize, Bonuses and World Ranking Points:
A top prize of $1.5 million will be awarded to the winner of the 2019 WBSC Premier12 that will see all 12 National Teams guaranteed a minimum share of $180,000 for their participation in the two-week, 32-game global tournament.
Teams advancing to the Super Round will receive a minimum of $250,000.
As an incentive a team will be awarded $10,000 for every game won in the Opening Round and $20,000 in the Super Round.
2019 WBSC Premier 12 – Prize Money Structure (in USD)
1st $ 1.5 Million
2nd $750 K.
3rd $500 K.
4th $350 K.
5th $300 K.
6th $250 K.
7th – 12th $180 K.
Each win in opening round $10 K
Each win in Super round $20 K
First Place in Opening Round $20 K
Total Amount $5,210,000
The Opening Round winners of Groups A, B and C will additionally receive $20,000 in prize money.
As per WBSC guidelines, a minimum of 50 percent of a team’s prize money is to be distributed equally among the players on the 28-man roster.
The 2019 WBSC Premier12 will also award the highest amount of world ranking points of any international baseball competition.
Helping to build unprecedented excitement and weight to this international competition, the 2019 WBSC Premier 12 will reserve placement for two teams in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, with one going to the highest-placed finisher from the Americas and one to the highest finisher in the Super Round/Finals from the Asia/Oceania region.
