Little League Five-Year Plan

Summary and Background of the Plan

In November of 2019, the Little League® International Board of Directors approved the implementation of a five-year strategic plan focused on promoting participation in the Little League program. The strategic plan relies on the core focus of creating and maintaining a player-centered culture, removing barriers, and creating more access for participation opportunities.

This plan was built off the primary research study and subsequent action plan first conducted by Little League in 2011 and continually built from consistent feedback, surveys, industry research, and volunteer and parent engagement over the past decade.

The five-year plan will launch new programs, including alternative and sandlot-style games, new grant initiatives to help leagues and families suffering from financial hardship, a renewed focus on training and development of coaches of the youngest divisions of play, partnerships that offer new introductions to the sports of baseball and softball, and more.

The summary below provides a snapshot of the comprehensive strategic plan. Comments or feedback on the strategic plan should be directed to: Patrick Wilson or Liz DiLullo Brown.

Core Strategy

Utilize Little League’s legacy and distinction to create a player-centered culture and remove core barriers to participation

Goals

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    Participation

    Increase participation in the Little League program
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    Experience

    Measure the quality of the experience at the local level
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    Programming

    Increase attention of new and enhanced programming and initiatives
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    Registration

    Increase registration opportunities among parents and child caregivers
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    Relevancy

    Maintain relevancy with today’s children and parents

Overarching Tactics of the Strategic Plan

  1. Employ a player-focused philosophy in all aspects of the Little League program, including strategic planning, decision-making, resource allocation, and customer service tactics
  2. Evaluate and modify Little League rules, regulations, and policies to meet a philosophy focused on a successful player experience
  3. Collaborate with District Administrators and volunteers to evaluate local league boundaries in an effort to provide more children the opportunity to play Little League
  4. Utilize game modifications and alternative programming to stimulate more interest in the game
  5. Utilize a league acquisition strategy that creates opportunities for turnkey affiliation and launch a new affiliation model focused on attracting the youngest players
  6. Continue to develop international affiliation model that allows for growth in expansion markets and strengthens relationships in existing stakeholder markets
  7. Create an attainable model to prepare all coaches, with focus on engagement in the youngest divisions of the program
  8. Remove barriers to participation, including financial and family circumstances, that impact access for families to participate
  9. Create unique and distinct opportunities to promote the inclusion of female participants and volunteers in the Little League program
  10. Utilize new and improved techniques to service our constituents and provide excellent service to volunteers and parents
  11. Continue to use and emphasize technology to support the needs of local leagues and the implementation of the program at the local level
  12. Leverage the relationships with strategic partners of the Little League program to drive strategic plan imperatives including content, training, and endorsement of programming
  13. Build excitement for the expansion of the Little League Baseball and Little League Softball World Series
  14. Launch the “new and improved” Little League brand, mission and messaging in June of 2020 and for local leagues for the 2021 season