A Brief History of Sport in Benjium
Benjians have played a variety of what might be considered footsports throughout their history, though these have often be largely regionalized (with the notable exception of cat herding) and never fully organized into a professional capacity until extremely recently. The introduction of the sport of Baseball some 40 years ago was a major catalyst in changing this, as many athletic clubs and other amateur teams began sponsoring local cups, municipal leagues and competitions. The Baseball Association of Benjium (BAB) was formed approximately 20 years ago as an organizational institution, sponsored in part by the federal and many local governments, and in part by philanthropy to encourage competitions on a national level, with the Tournament of the Valley becoming a defacto National Championship. Professionalism remained technically illegal, and teams were for the most part, composed entirely of locals. However, in hopes of sending a competitive team to the World Baseball Classic, and a challenge in the Benjium High Courts has disrupted this old system. Just this year BAB was granted the authority to oversee the establishment of league of professionals. Many of the top amateur clubs have begun amassing teams, and a number of corporations have purchased rights to others. While a majority of the top amateur players have signed lucrative deals, a significant minority has voiced opposition to this breaking of tradition. While baseball remains the most popular sport nationally - and currently the only professional one - many regions prefer their own or other games, and recent trends are expected to spread to other popular games throughout the country.
Contents:
1) National Team News
2) Baseball Association of Benjium News
