Premier sports baseball and softball tournaments fill Oswego’s Legends Fields all summer
By Tom and Jerry Caraccioli
With its inceptive roots firmly planted in the fields of nearby towns and cities throughout New York state — most notably Cooperstown — today the game of baseball still brings to mind a pastime of fun-filled summer days and evenings playing a game loved by millions.
Though the days of local Little League teams including the Elks, Davis Meats, K of C, as well as T.J. Burke’s, Firemen, Police and others vying for the Oswego City Championship in the Westside vs. Eastside format still exists, the relative importance of those championship days have faded with the advent of travel team tournament play.
For the past 15 years, travel baseball and softball has become the norm rather than the exception in youth leagues. Youth baseball in Oswego also has noted the change of an advanced competitive and economic evolution.
Travel team baseball and softball, as well as the area’s Premier Sports and Champions Events led by Jerry and Justin Arsenault and Sondra Sawmiller, has turned Oswego into a hotbed of summer youth baseball and softball tournaments. Steady growth of Premier Sports and Champions Events since 2019 has resulted in a tournament schedule that has teams from across New York, New Jersey, all six New England states, as well as Michigan and Virginia in and out of Oswego from April to October.
This spring and summer the Port City and area will once again host close to 10,000 visitors for the Champions Events with more than 500 baseball teams and 200 softball teams that include 14 players and coaches on each, as well as other family members.
“We are in all parts of Oswego County,” Jerry Arsenault said. “The impact is felt from Fulton to Oswego, northern and southern Oswego County to Pulaski because we book every hotel in the area that is available for our teams. The restaurants, gas stations and all businesses take advantage of 10,000 people coming through the area for tournaments.” It’s safe to say that millions of dollars in economic benefits are a result in the cities and county coffers.
Teams traveling and playing at Legends Fields are made to feel special and part of something bigger than a baseball tournament. “Our tournaments are professionally managed from the time they arrive,” Arsenault added. “We have parking lot attendants, our grille and food are restaurant quality and the registration app we use is convenient and user-friendly. Also, our umpires are really, really good. They are unparalleled. Quality of staff is another real difference maker.”
A facet that also sets Champions Events and Premier Sports apart from other tournaments trying to get a piece of the travel baseball and softball business is investment in the community and facilities. All six fields underwent improvements with the installation of turf infields. Six new batting cages, lighting was updated and a new parking lot can accommodate up to 300 cars.
Having six fields in one location is an advantage because families aren’t traveling all over the place. They are in one location and it creates a baseball carnival atmosphere. The new turf fields mean rain and inclement weather won’t affect delays and cancellations as much. Each team that comes to play in the baseball and softball tournaments are guaranteed at least four games, which means most of them are coming to the area beginning on Thursday.
“With all the new renovations taking place, we’re hoping we can expand the weeks of play,” Arsenault wishfully said. “With turf fields it’s possible.
“The atmosphere, cooking, staff, as well as former Major League players coming in to speak with the kids is second to none. We also have introduced a recruiting component in which our team helps the players and families get to the next level — high school, college and maybe beyond someday. The other thing I also like is with baseball and softball games going on at the same time it generates a real family atmosphere all the time.”
Arsenault also is thankful others in Oswego city and county government understood the potential positive impact as well.
“We are grateful to former Mayor Barlow, Mayor Corradino, county legislator James Weatherup and Oswego County Director of Community Development, Tourism and Planning Tim Stahl who really understood this vision,” he said.
And though he isn’t sure of the exact economic impact of Champions Events’ baseball and softball tournaments have, one aspect of the tournaments’ impact Arsenault is definitely sure of is the role they have in generating a fun, positive family experience.
Tom and Jerry Caraccioli are freelance writers originally from Oswego, who have co-authored two books: “Striking Silver: The Untold Story of America’s Forgotten Hockey Team” and “Boycott: Stolen Dreams of the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games.”
