HiCast Sports Network, a game-changing, subscription-based social broadcast company is proud to announce Ballparks National as a new venue partner. It is the first premier fast-pitch softball venue, and the second ballpark in Missouri to join the HiCast Sports Network. HiCast Sports puts the game in the hands of youth and amateur athletes, their coaches, families and fans to view sporting events live or on-demand at top venues across the nation anywhere, anytime, on any device.

Ballparks National, a new privately-owned fast-pitch softball and baseball ballpark located minutes from Lake of the Ozarks, opened their gates in 2021. Founded by former sports broadcasters, Jeff Vernetti and Bob Ramsey, the venue has been a long-time in the making and currently selling out tournaments for the 2022 Spring and Summer season. HiCast Sports Network provides video coverage on all five all-turf fields for travel tournaments attracting fast-pitch softball teams for all age groups and baseball teams up to 13U. From the beginning of March through end of October, Ballparks National will host about 30 tournaments, 800 teams, and 40,000 patrons this year from 15 different states, as well local high school and college softball games, clinics and state-wide tournaments.

“We’re a family-friendly destination facility,” shares Keith Lucas, Assistant General Manager. “Lake of the Ozarks is hailed as the best recreational lake in the midwest. People come from all over to vacation and play here, and having the HiCast Sports Network gives extended family members the chance to share the game-day experience from home, or anywhere in the world.” Ballparks National delivers creative guest services and theme-based tourneys; fun activities including a radar-speed pitch zone, bounce houses for young siblings, and fireworks; and an expansive deck overlooking the park with a full-service bar and grill to provide a unique and enjoyable experience for the whole family.

“Even our local teams traveling from Jefferson City, Columbia and Springfield, or even farther from St. Louis and Kansas City want overnight stay options for our weekend tournaments. The Lake of the Ozarks region offers a wide range of options for different budgets from campgrounds to home vacation rentals to 5-star hotels,” adds Jeff Vernetti, General Manager. “We work with our sponsors, from boat dealers to water parks and restaurants, to offer special promotions to our families to help them plan a fun vacation for the whole family both on and off our fields.”

Understanding the importance of video coverage from a fast-pitch softball recruiting perspective, Ballparks National initially attempted to set up and manage their own video streaming solution. Keith shares, “It was challenging. We had to turn cameras off and on, keep batteries charged, and make sure cameras didn’t overheat out in the summer sun. There’s a lot of elements involved in video streaming and it was just a hassle.”

Jeff adds, “In the end we wanted to go with a really good company who knew what they were doing and could take that aspect of video streaming technology off our plate so we could focus on doing what we do best – creating a great tournament experience. HiCast Sports Network was the best choice in a partner. We can now stream games from all five fields to our concession area and to viewers anywhere in the world, and I liked HiCast Sports covers other top ballparks around the country. It makes it easier for our teams to have one login, and use one solution from an established brand. ”

HiCast Sports Network users from around the world have watched more than five million game minutes featuring more than 500,000 athletes playing on more than 200 fields and courts at premier baseball/softball and indoor court venues in Colorado, Delaware, Georgia, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas. HiCast Sports subscribers have saved and shared nearly 250,000 game highlights, the Moments That Matter™ with the people who matter most.

We caught up with Springfield Mavericks coach and one of new owners of Ballparks of America in Branson Missouri, Paul Satterwhite. Paul, in partnership with three local businessmen from Springfield, MO (Greg Snider, Dale Helle, and Steve Strobel) purchased the complex in February 2020 and we’re excited to see this unique ballpark complex grow.

Here’s what Paul had to share in anticipation of the delayed start of their spring season:

What got him interested in Ballparks of America?

Paul has coached his son’s team for about eight years now, serving as head coach for five of them in Springfield, Missouri which is about 45 minutes from Branson. When he first learned about the construction of Ballparks of America, he got excited, as the target age range (11U - 14U) would be a perfect fit for his son’s team, the Springfield Mavericks. They were among the first teams to play at the ballpark since it opened in 2017. In 2018, Paul’s son Graham made the Branson 12U team and played in the Cal Ripken Series 70 World Series at Ballparks of America, which was a highlight for his son and the entire family. The Mavericks have played 75-80 games at Ballparks of America thus far.

How have you used HiCast Sports Network at Ballparks of America as a dad and coach?

“We’ve had quite a bit of experience with HiCast footage. I’m an attorney by trade and I travel some. I haven’t missed many of my team’s games over the years, but I was traveling back from a conference I had to attend and I wasn’t going to make it back in time for their Friday night games. I was waiting for my flight at the Denver airport and I pulled up and watched all of our games on HiCast, texting my coach who was running the game between innings, and making suggestions. It’s a really good view of your pitchers and batters, and I thought it was a really neat experience. My own parents have been able to get on and watch games, and there’s extended family who use it to watch our team.”

What inspired you to take ownership of this venue with your three partners?

“A couple of reasons. One, we really understand the place. One of my partners, Greg Snider, also has sons who’ve played often at Ballparks of America. We both serve on the Board for the Springfield Mavericks organization, and we operated tournaments at Ballparks of America before getting involved on the ownership side. As a result, we understand the operations side of it and what has made our tournaments great over the last couple of years.

We also understand some of the challenges there, especially with the size of the facility, and we have a ton of connections in Branson and the ability to really make what we believe to be a great product on a national level and also for the Branson community and southwest Missouri. We really wanted to put some energy behind it and it’s something I saw as a worthwhile endeavor. Of course, we didn’t see the fun that is this challenge we’re all facing as a country right now with COVID-19, but it’s one we believe we can overcome.”

What’s in store for the future of Ballparks of America?

“We’re in the process of bringing the existing facilities up to a higher level. It’s a pretty amazing facility to start out with. The dorms are an incredible experience for the kids. We’re putting in some more food options by adding a restaurant and a sit-down, air-conditioned area inside for folks to get out of the sun for a bit. We’re going to enhance some of the experiences on campus and add some parties in the evenings. We’re partnering with the best local event businesses in Branson to put on co-branded and exciting events to create a tourna-cation experience for kids and families. We want it to be seven days of lifelong memories. You might not remember the scores of the games but you’ll remember the memories you created with your child, your teammates and your family. That’s the goal, and that’s what we’re working hard at.”

With COVID-19 pause on play, what’s happening right now?

“We’re working with health officials and our government to understand what’s safe, but we’re continuing to move forward with an intention to play this summer. We’re taking a week-by-week approach on this and we’re not acting too quickly to cancel future events. We’re actually adding teams who lost their spring season and are looking to expand their summer experience. We’re going to try to give a month’s lead time on summer events so teams traveling from further out will have time to make a determinations. We’re communicating regularly with the teams. We’re going to look at what other opportunities are available and hope to expand our late summer and fall opportunities to maximize use of the facility.”

Since our call with Paul, they’ve added four tournaments in August to help meet the growing summer demand for play. Teams from more than 30 states are signed up for tournaments from Memorial Day through Labor Day.

“With the Cal Ripken World Series in August, we typically have ten international teams, but due to COVID-19, international teams will not attend this year. We’ll still have 20 national teams coming for the tournament August 6-15.”

How are you and your team working through this challenging time?

“I think it’s a great time for players to study the game, to watch older baseball games, watch people they see as heroes and see how they play. I think it’s a great time to work out. My own 13-year old son is making me jealous by the amount of time he’s been able to put in with his work outs, and I think he’s going to be in the best shape of his life by the time this ends. It’s a great time to get out and play catch with your dad or your sister in the back yard. Set up your tee and your nets, or your tennis ball in the garage.

For coaches, I’m encouraging regular communication with your team. For us, most of that is happening through the Band app where we communicate through messaging and video to have a team experience there. Our club is putting out a video every other day to the kids with a work-out routine so they are all getting something that pushes them.”

Words of encouragement for ballplayers everywhere?

“Baseball is a game that we play that is a microcosm of life. Of all the sports that I’ve been involved in throughout my life, baseball is the quickest to take you to the top and take you to the bottom all at the same time. You can be the hero in one inning and the goat in the next. There are great life lessons to be learned from the game of baseball. And what we’re dealing with right now is just a period of adversity. It’s a challenge. We’re missing baseball because it’s become a central part of our life, but it will be back. Use this time to get closer to your family. If you are a person of faith, use this time to focus on that to help you see this as a opportunity to rise above the challenge.”

Photos provided by Paul Satterwhite and Springfield Mavericks

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