Little League World Series to look like it did before pandemic except for 4 more teams | How to watch it

SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. – The Little League World Series returns to normalcy for the first time in three years but there will be a number of changes.

The biggest one as the series marks its 75th year is the expansion to 20 teams. Two U.S. teams and two international teams have been added.

The games do not begin until Aug. 17 but the teams will begin arriving in South Williamsport this week.

Staten Island doesn’t not a have a team going this year.

ESPN will televise most of the games this year, but if you don’t have cable you can watch them on FuboTV, a live streaming service that is currently offering a free trial.

Two series-related events in Williamsport also are back to the way they were before the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Grand Slam Parade with former New York Yankee pitcher Mariano Rivera as the grand marshal will step off at 5:30 p.m. Aug. 15 with the following day as a rain date.

The Williamsport Welcomes the World block party on Aug. 26 will feature Rickey Henderson, another Hall of Famer. Attendees will be provided pictures for him to sign.

The community is excited about the series returning to normalcy, said Jason Fink, president and CEO of the Williamsport/Lycoming Chamber of Commerce.

Hotel and motel rooms in the Williamsport area for the series are expected to be scarce by later in the week when the 10 U.S. teams are known, he said.

All those attending the series, which runs through Aug. 28, will pass through security at the same gate this year behind the left field foul line of Volunteer Stadium.

Another change is only clear bags made of plastic, vinyl or PVC that do not exceed 12 by 6 by 12 inches will be permitted. A small purse that does not exceed 6.5 by 4.5 inches also will be allowed.

Diaper bags will be permitted for children under 3 but they will be searched separately. A list of prohibited items can be found at LittleLeague.org/ProhibitedItems.

There is no charge to attend the series and parking also is free. However, there will be no access to the complex from Route 15.

There is a gate near the rear of the headquarters building for those going to the World of Little League Museum.

Museum visitors will be given a wristband and have their hand stamped to allow them to re-enter the complex by the same gate.

Little League announced in April a return to full a participant field and fan capacity after the pandemic caused the 2020 series to be canceled and the one in 2021 reduced to U.S. teams with restrictions on the number of fans.

Fans are not required to wear a mask and the stringent protocols for players, managers and coaches that last year included mandatory testing have disappeared.

“We know that there is no way to eliminate all risk of catching COVID-19 during the tournaments,” said Little League’s medical adviser Dr. James H. Finigan, a pulmonologist with the National Jewish Health in Denver.

With his help, Little League has developed guidelines with the goal of allowing the series to occur as normally and safely as possible. They include:

• Having a medical staff member who will lead evaluation and testing for anyone experiencing symptoms of COVID-19.
• Requiring staff, volunteers and media to wear masks when in enclosed, player-facing areas including the dining hall, recreation areas and certain stadium locations.
• Removing individuals with a confirmed positive COVID-19 test from interactions with all team members and initiating quarantine and contact tracing procedures.
• Following health and safety protocols to determine if a team has enough players to continue participating in the series.
• Allowing asymptomatic team members to continue participating based on testing protocols dictated by their vaccination status as defined by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. They include those up to date with vaccination will be tested after five days. Those not up to date will be tested two and five days after exposure and may be subjected to additional masking requirements.

WATCH THE LITTLE LEAGUE WORLD SERIES HERE

Nine of the 10 international teams are set; the Canadian champion scheduled to be determined Friday.

Heading to the series are Bologna, Italy; Matamoros, Mexico; Willemstad, Curacao; Managua, Nicaragua; Taiwan; Guaynabo, Puerto Rico; Brisbane, Australia; Hyogo, Japan; and Aguadulce, Panama.