Major League Baseball is set to financially support the U.S. women's softball team, which already is assured a spot in the Tokyo Olympics. Meanwhile, the American men's baseball team is struggling to qualify.
MLB announced an agreement Thursday to become the presenting sponsor of the women's "Stand Beside Her" tour, a slate of exhibition games leading up to the Olympic tournament from July 22-28. As part of the deal with MLB, the softball team's official training facility will be at the Jackie Robinson Training Complex in Vero Beach, Florida, the old Dodgertown spring training camp.
"We're both bat and ball sports. Even though we're not the same sport, there are so many similarities that you just can't ignore," said Kim Ng, MLB's senior vice president for baseball operations. "It was important for us to make sure that they have this acknowledgment and recognition of their ability and their talent."
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