The Little League Baseball World Series expands next year, for the first time, from eight teams to 16. A second stadium is being built next to Howard J. Lamade Stadium, where the World Series has been played every year since 1959, to accommodate the extra games in the early rounds.
Current plans call for the tournament to last nine days.
As part of the agreement, which runs through 2006, ABC Sports will expand its coverage of the Little League Baseball World Series to include the United States Championship on Saturday and the World Series Championship on Sunday, starting in 2001. ESPN and ESPN2 will televise the eight U.S. Regional Championship games, as well as many of the International and U.S. pool-play games from Williamsport, Pennsylvania. ESPN2 will continue to televise the Big League Baseball and the Big League Softball World Series Championship games. We have enjoyed our 37-year relationship and look forward to expanding our coverage to include the U.S. Championship game. As we initiate the expansion of the World Series in 2001, our partnership with ABC and ESPN will mean more exposure for our participants and our program.