LAUSANNE, Switzerland — The Confederation of European Baseball(CEB) has started its qualifying tournaments for the European “Champions League” Cup this week.
The tournament is being held in six different countries throughout Europe, involving 31 club teams from over 20 different countries.
The qualifying stages will eventually lead to the European Championship in September.
The winner of the championship will earn the opportunity to represent their club in the Asian Series.
Since the opening European Championship in 2007, 19 new clubshave joined the competitive field.
CEB officials indicate the goal of trying “to promote and develop the game of Baseball in Europe” is being executed successfully, especially as baseball and softball, under the World Baseball Softball Confederation, continue efforts to raise their profile to be considered for inclusion in the Olympic Games.
In addition to the growing number of participating clubs, the CEB has also seen an increase in the number of facilities capable of hosting their prestigious tournaments.
The 2014 “Champions League” Cup will be the international debut of the new state of the art baseball-softball complex in Hoofddorp, Netherlands.
Below are the clubs participating in the tournament:
European Cup A – Qualifier Champions Cup in Brno:
ASD Rimini Baseball (ITA)
Buchbinder Legionaere (GER)
DOOR Neptunus (NED)
Draci Brno (CZE)
KNTU Elizavetgrad (UKR)
Templiers Senart (FRA)
European Cup A – Qualifier Champions Cup in Hoofddorp, Netherlands:
Hooddorp Pioniers (NED)
Kotlarka Praha (CZE)
Nettuno B.C. (ITA)
Rouen Huskies (FRA)
Solingen Alligators (GER)
T&A San Marino (SMA)
The winners of the two European Cups will play a best-of-three European Champions Cup series later this summer to determine Europe’s 2014 top baseball club.
The teams ranked sixth in each event will have to play a European Cup Playoff game in September against the winners of the Qualifiers.
Qualifier for European Cup in Antwerp, Belgium:
Brasschaat Braves (BEL)
Leksand Baseball (SWE)
Nada Split (CRO)
Vienna Wanderers (AUT)
Zurich Challengers (SUI)
Qualifier for European Cup in Athens, Greece:
Atletico Alexandria (ROM)
BC Olimpija 83 (CRO)
Maroussi 2004 (GRE)
Olympic sports school 42 (RUS)
Sofia Blues (BUL)
Qualifier for European Cup in Brest, Belarus:
BK Angels Trnava (SVK)
Brest Zubrs (BLR)
Centaury Warsaw (POL)
Kaunas Lituanica (LTU)
Vienna Metrostars (AUT)
Qualifier for European Cup in Stockholm, Sweden:
Bern Cardinals (SUI)
North Stars Moscow (RUS)
Stockholm BSK (SWE)
Vilnius BC (LTU)
The 2014 baseball calendar in Europe will be highlighted by the European Championship in September and the club teams’ European Cups in June. These events will see the international debut of the new state of the art baseball-softball complex in Hoofddorp.
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