So, you've decided to take over running a major baseball league. What's next? You might be feeling intimidated and may not know where to begin. A lot goes into running a league, from funding for uniforms and equipment to choosing the right players and coaches, including caring for the environment along the way. Here are a few tips that will help you get your start and put your team on the path to victory.

1. Do Your Research

Before starting a league, it's important to find out first if there is already a league in your area. You can find this out through a variety of ways, since googling sometimes will not give accurate results, especially if it's a small town with a small league. If there's already a league, you'll have to decide if you want to just join the existing one or inquire about creating your own.

The next step, if you get the go-ahead, is to recruit players for the team. Hanging fliers or putting a business card in local hangout spots, like coffee shops and restaurants, is a great way to turn someone's casual interest into a serious passion. Gyms and fitness centers are also great places to advertise, since chances are it'll be seen by people who already love staying active. Make sure to include contact info for yourself as well as details about the preferred age and gender of interested players.

2. Create a Budget

There are a few considerations you'll have to make before getting equipment for your teams. Some of the equipment, like gloves and bats, can be left up to team members to provide themselves, since they'll usually have their own already. On the other hand, maybe you'll want to invest in custom baseball gloves for different teams, to provide a professional touch. If your team grows big enough, you may want to bring in a supplier for your team's equipment at a discount. Once your budget has been decided, these choices will be easier to make.

Once you have players, you'll know roughly how big your budget will have to be to provide for the team's needs. Most leagues will require a fee for anyone who joins to cover some of the costs, so you'll need to charge according to your budget. It's a great way to determine who is serious about playing long-term, but make sure not to charge too much, since that will deter players who can't cover the costs. Once you have an established treasury and available funds, consider offering to pay for anyone who truly wants to play but can't afford their dues.

3. Find a Facility

You'll need a regular place for your league to practice, and it'll have to be booked in advance to avoid scrambling for practice places at the last minute. Public parks, schools, sports or community centers, and even churches will have fields that you can reserve, just make sure before you book that the restrictions and requirements for the specific field won't cause issues for your teams. It's also important that the fields are regularly cut and aren't in an area that collects water, since you don't want your players wading through mud for practice every week.

Location is also an important factor when choosing a facility. Consider taking a poll of your players to see what a good central location would be for everyone. Having to drive a long distance for practices will deter possible players, and can lead to people skipping practice frequently to avoid the drive. Also consider having a car pool for practice, especially if multiple players live near one another. That's a great way to make your league more accessible, and doesn't hurt team bonding, either!

Conclusion

The first steps to creating a league can be intimidating and a little boring. But once you've done these three things, the hard part will be out of the way and you can focus on organizing practices, getting to know your team, and watching them play games every year.