Welcome to Willmar! Stingers Host Northwoods League 2023 Fall Meetings

(Willmar, MN) – The Willmar Stingers Baseball Club has officially announced that the 2023 Northwoods League Fall Meetings will be hosted in Willmar, MN from October 9-11.

All 24 League franchises and over 100 executives from across the league will convene following the 30th season of Northwoods League baseball. The 2023 fall meetings next week will mark the second time the franchise has hosted these meetings in 14 years.

“Fans often ask Northwoods League Executives “What do you do in the off-season?” The winter is typically a time for teams to catch their breath from a busy season, but also prepare for the upcoming year. Therefore, one of the most crucial events for league members are the fall meetings,” said Marc Jerzak, Willmar Stingers co-owner.

These meetings also provide all teams the opportunity to recognize outstanding teams and staff members from across the league.

Northwoods League History

The Northwoods League started in 1994 with only five teams. In just three short decades, the NWL has grown to almost five times that size. The League now stretches across the entire Midwest and includes 24 total teams with hopes on future growth.

The 2023 season and 30th in League history saw a new milestone. Across the league, over 1.3 million fans revolved the turn styles to set a new league attendance record.

Fans of Northwoods League baseball each year get the chance to see the Stars of Tomorrow. In 30 seasons, the league has produced 340 players to debut in Major League Baseball. Currently there are 116 of these players on MLB teams. Players include All-Stars Pete Alonso (New York Mets), Max Scherzer (Texas Rangers) Marcus Semien (Texas Rangers) and Matt Chapman (Toronto Blue Jays) to name a few.

All teams are working together to grow the league in size and quality. The fall meetings signify for the first time since late May that all teams are now playing with each other instead of against. The first day of the meetings being with softball then baseball meetings will follow the next two days.

Monday, October 9th

The 2023 Northwoods League Fall Meetings will be featuring a new segment. Monday Oct 9th marks the beginning of the first-ever Northwoods League Softball Meetings. These meetings signify the first official league event for Northwoods League Softball. This softball league will pioneer a completely new way for female collegiate athletes to play in an incredibly competitive environment outside their school season.

Northwoods League Baseball has powered its way into being the premiere summer collegiate baseball league in the country. The NWL has had proven success and has laid the framework for NWL Softball to do the same. Having such a successful example to follow, multiple untouched markets, and a plethora of talent to pull from, Northwoods League Softball is poised to not only survive but thrive in the summers to come.

Continue to follow the Northwoods League for further updates on Northwoods League Softball.

Tuesday & Wednesday, Oct 10-11

The Northwoods League has utilized these meetings to make each season better than the last. The purpose of these meetings is to learn from all other front offices to improve every fan’s experience. Team staff have been capitalizing on these meetings for 30 years. The team wide communication has led to the exponential growth of the league. The Northwoods League Office plans and presides over the meetings.

The baseball meetings kick off with season recaps and each team is recognized among their peers. These top performers will present to the remaining league members what best practices and ideas they implemented to generate growth in their market. Similar sessions are held for all other categories that track team performance.

Once all presentations are given and notes taken, the floor opens. The meeting changes from a lecture to a discussion. The space is segmented into different categories and small group sessions range from sales to broadcasting.

The blending of ideas has been the lifeblood of the Northwoods League for over 30 years. These sessions propel progress for all 24 NWL teams and the league office. This progress is recognized by season awards.

Award Ceremony

The Northwoods League Fall Meetings culminate at the season award ceremony. Team executives and organizations across the league are recognized by the office and fellow franchises. The most notable awards are the Organization of the Year, Executive of The Year, Team Member of The Year, and Community Program of the Year.

Looking Forward

The vision for the Northwoods League has been to provide the best experience for fans, players, and staff. It will continue to move forward and expand on that core belief. We all look forward to the 2024 season for NWL Softball to take flight and NWL Baseball to reach new heights.

For more information regarding this press release or tickets for the 2024 season please call 320-220-2010 or visit WillmarStingers.com. The 2024 season is presented by J.D. Kreps Financial Group.

The Willmar Stingers are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. The Northwoods League is the proven leader in the development of elite college baseball players. Now in its 31th season, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 24 teams, drawing significantly more fans, in a friendly ballpark experience, than any league of its kind. A valuable training ground for coaches, umpires, and front office staff, over 325 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including three-time All-Star and 2016 Roberto Clemente Award winner Curtis Granderson, three-time Cy Young Award winner and World Series Champion Max Scherzer (NYM), two-time World Series Champions Ben Zobrist and Brandon Crawford (SFG) and World Series Champion Chris Sale (BOS). As well as 2019 Rookie of the Year and 2019/2021 Home Run Derby Champion Pete Alonso (NYM) and 2021 All-Star, MLB Gold Glove winner and 2019 Second Team All-MLB shortstop Marcus Semien (TEX). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League website. League games are viewable live at watchnwl.com and on ESPN+. For more information, visit www.willmarstingers.com or download the new Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store or on Google Play and set the Stingers as your favorite team.