Successful communications in any organization helps cultivate and maintain the best image by not only encouraging better knowledge and understanding of the organization’s goals, benefits, and operation, but also to effectively keep your players, parents, volunteers, and community informed.
At Little League International, making sure that the program is known within the community will help earn the respect and support that is essential to successful League operations. To establish the League as an effective youth sports program in the community requires an active plan for communication, focused around reaching all levels of community interest. That can come through working with local media outlets, maintaining league websites and social media accounts, and keeping parents and volunteers informed on all League information.
Communications from Little League International
Little League International communicates all official correspondence relevant to League operations and administration directly to the elected League Officers, including the League President, as they are listed on the Little League Data Center. It is important for Leagues to ensure their officer information is updated in the Little League Data Center.
The League Officers should disseminate the information to the League membership and parents in order to ensure all Rules, Regulations, and Operating Policies are easily understood, and are strongly encouraged to make this information generally available to the public through local media outlets or the League’s own digital outlets. Resources are available to help support League operations on Little League University (LittleLeagueUniversity.org).
Additionally, Little League International communicates regularly with parents and volunteers, providing useful information, education, and other promotions to enhance the Little League experience.
Leagues have an open line of communication to Little League International at all times and are urged to make use of it whenever necessary.
Communicating with the Media
Little League International is the most trusted organization in youth sports, and often times, local media outlets will want to be informed on your League’s activities and operations. The news media can be an important opportunity for your League to promote itself, especially within your own community.
Identifying a person in your League to handle your media relations is a great way to ensure that your League’s news and events get to the local media outlets. Develop a media list of the best contacts at the various news outlets that cover your community, and be sure to send them media alerts to invite them to upcoming events and press releases to share important news, information, and activities. Getting the word out through the media about what you’re accomplishing can help your League grow. You’re encouraged to develop a positive, working relationship with the media. Sample press releases and templates can be found at LittleLeagueUniversity.org.
Sometimes Leagues are faced with situations that require additional guidance from Little League International. If a member of a media outlet contacts you about a sensitive situation, please contact your District Administrator or the appropriate Little League International Regional Office.
Additional resources can be found at LittleLeague.org/CrisisCommunications.
Media outlets are encouraged and permitted to cover (write stories, take photos, and shoot video) League events, regular season games, and tournament action. At no time should the media interfere with your game operations. Any time a member of the media wishes to conduct an interview with a Little Leaguer, the player’s parent(s) and/or manager or coach must be present throughout the interview. Only working news photographers and videographers with proper news organization credentials are permitted on the field of play, subject to League approval (as noted in Rule 3.15) in any level of Little League play unless pre-approved by Little League International. Such personnel should never be permitted in dugouts, nor anywhere on fair territory, and at no time should photographers or videographers interfere with game activity or pose a safety risk to players, volunteers, or themselves. If there is not ample room in foul territory for news photographers and videographers, they should not be permitted on the field and cover the games from outside the field of play.
Remember, the words “Little League” are registered trademarks and should never be used as merely a descriptive term for all youth sports programs. A League may inform members of the media that “Little League,” “Little League Softball,” and “Little League Baseball” are listed in the Associated Press Stylebook and Libel Manual, and should never be used in reference to non-Little League activities. Leagues may also instead share links to those stories to [email protected] and the Little League International Communications team can send a correction request to the outlet.
It is important to note that any news outlet can use photos and video of your League activities for editorial purposes only. Any promotional, advertising, or paid usage must be submitted to Little League International for approval.
Communicating Through Digital Media
Having a website and keeping it updated with information, important dates, contact information, game schedules and scores, and updates from Little League International is just one way to use online communications.
Another important online tool is social media. Creating social media accounts for your League or district can help you connect with a broader audience. Keep your social media posts light and fun, with photos from your Leagues, stories from the news, game schedules and results, and posts from Little League International’s social media. When you have urgent messages you need to communicate or events to promote, use social media as a tool to spread the word.
It is recommended that all League social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, X, TikTok, etc.) be setup as a business page/account with at least two administrators and a trusted, Super Administrator. Additional tips for operating your League’s social media accounts are available on Little League University.
Remember, once it’s posted on any website or social media page, that statement or image is public. Be careful when you’re posting and make sure that you’re reflecting your League in the most positive light and that you have permission to use the photo. It is also important to continually monitor the comments across your social media channels. If your community members start posting or commenting about a specific issue, encourage them to contact the League via email or attend the next public meeting. Engaging in a social media discussion that could become heated should be avoided.
Obtaining Approval to Use Personal Data & Participant/Volunteer Images
Leagues or districts should have a policy related to using images and video of League participants, parents, and other volunteers. Leagues should have parents or guardians, as well as volunteers, sign a Form Release and Waiver each season. A generic sample Form Release and Waiver can be found here: LittleLeague.org/ModelRelease. This release should give the League permission to photograph, video, record audio, or utilize the image or likeness of the individuals in initiatives that show the League activities to support the growth and promotion of the League and its activities through any advertisements or social media sites. Such use should only grant permission to the League, and not to any other entity, including commercial entities.
The League must also adopt a policy for use of any personal information including images, video, etc., to protect the privacy of the individual participants and their families. The policy must follow Little League International’s Privacy Policy (LittleLeague.org/PrivacyPolicy) and associated guidelines. At no time should the League share information, including personally identifiable data, images, or the like with any third parties, unless required by law.
If a League or district chooses to enter into an agreement with a photographer or videographer for a game, tournament, opening day, League picture day, or other League event, Little League International recommends that a formal agreement be arranged between the League and the photographer/videographer, and that all financial aspects of the agreement be fully understood by all parties. The formal agreement should be in the name of the League (i.e. Hometown Little League), not “Little League” as a standalone company name and wordmark. It is recommended that Form Release and Waivers be secured from participants before such an agreement is procured.
Chartered Leagues and districts are strictly prohibited from sharing, releasing, or selling any player, parent, or volunteer data (including images or video) to third parties for use in fundraising, marketing, commercialization or promotional activities.
Game Broadcasting and Streaming
Little League International in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania, is the only body that can authorize or disallow the live streaming, webcasting, televising, or radio broadcasting of any game(s) for regular season or tournament play through any outlet that is not fully owned and/or operated by a League or district (e.g. broadcast by a local TV/Radio station). A contract (provided by Little League International) must originate with the local District Administrator, tournament director, or League president. (See Regulation XV and LittleLeague.org/LiveStreaming)
No third-party telecast, broadcast, webcast (recorded or live) of any Little League Baseball or Softball game (in any division) can take place unless the proper contract is completed and approved. This applies to all third-party productions, even if they are unsupported by advertising, sponsorship, or subscriptions. The financial aspect of any telecast, broadcast, webcast (recorded or live) should be fully understood by all parties.
With live-streaming becoming much easier to accomplish, Leagues may be interested in web-casting or live-streaming games through their own League website, official social media account, or other digital platform. Leagues are permitted to stream/web-cast games through these League-owned platforms, granted they follow all Little League policies regarding commercialization and trademarks.
For Leagues, districts, and media personnel, Little League International has guidelines regarding how Little Leaguers should appear in the media, including newspapers, on television, in magazines, etc. To download a PDF file of the document, visit LittleLeague.org/Media.
Non-Editorial Media Request
If any business or entity contacts your League about participating in any situation outside of editorial coverage (e.g. local news) of your events or games (which includes but is not limited to: promotional activities, commercials, movie or television productions, documentary productions, or promotion of any commercial business), you must seek approval from Little League International prior to participating or providing approval from your League. Only Little League International reserves the right to grant or deny such permission of participation on behalf of our Leagues.