Belgravia Group to become first partner of Baseball5 League in Australia

A new partnership between Baseball Australia and the Belgravia Group will see more money re-invested into the game whilst also promoting the new Baseball5 league across Australia.

Chaired by former Hawthorn Football Club President and original Melbourne Victory owner Geoff Lord, the Belgravia Group includes multiple Australian businesses with a range of aquatic, events, fitness and recreation divisions in its portfolio.

Becoming the first partner of Baseball5 in Australia fits with Lord’s commitment to promote activity, exercise and participation in sport.

Baseball5 is a new five-on-five, five-inning streamlined version of the game of baseball/softball that can be played anywhere and is expected to drive participation rates due to the fast-paced nature of the game.

Advising that the partnership with the Belgravia Group will provide significant opportunities for baseball in Australia, Baseball Australia Chief Executive, Cam Vale stated “the Belgravia Group are true innovators and have a strong brand across sport and leisure, as well as an enormous footprint across Australia and NZ across many parts of sport and sporting facilities

“Through the leadership of sporting visionary Geoff Lord … who has been such a great supporter of sport in this country, it is great to have him, his management and his company part of baseball in Australia.”

Belgravia Group’s professional support and knowledge across many areas of sport is expected to provide savings to Baseball Australia, which can be reinvested back into the sport.

Advising on the Group’s input, Lord added “our vision is for all Australians to have access to health and leisure, and in our partnership with Baseball Australia many thousands of Australians will now have access to this sport in a new and exciting format.”

Lord has also established the Belgravia Foundation to boost health and wellbeing outcomes among Australia’s marginalised communities and raise money to fund programs and services to help communities in need.

Belgravia Group is also set to relaunch the GOswim initiative in conjunction with Swimming Australia, while its Belgravia Events division has launched the TRIX3 Indoor Triathlon Series and its Belgravia Kids division has advised of the acquisition of parts of the operations of Jump! Swim Schools.

The World Baseball Softball Confederation launched Baseball5 last year, the idea being to create a short format/'street' version of the sport.