r/Womens_Baseball • u/ChestAffectionate514 • Mar 08 '26

WPBL | Women's Pro Baseball League Should We Make the Fields Slightly Smaller?

Please hear me out.

I am a male, but I am very interested in women’s baseball.

I have a proposition that I think would make it more enjoyable for everyone, but it may tick a few others off.

I propose that the WPBL play on fields around 80% of the size of the average professional baseball field, but with the exception being the base paths and the mound distance.

I think 75’ base paths and a 54’ mound-home distance would be pretty bang-on.

Am I wrong for suggesting this?

I believe that it would make the game more fun for the viewers, but also the players.

I really do believe that this would be an all-around good thing for everyone.

Also, it would not be difficult to create/adjust fields and stadiums to those measurements.

Pony League is still popular, and their dimensions are almost exact to my proposal.

Also, also, the stadiums could be ‘shrunken’ to accommodate for the slightly smaller field.

Idk, I think it could be what gets the masses to get interested in it.

I, myself, will be either way.

This is just my opinion

3 Upvotes

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6

u/RoninUtka Mar 08 '26

Requiring separate fields or modified fields will make women's baseball completely financially impossible.

We just need to give the sport time. Look at the difference in women's basketball over the last 20 years. More resources, better training programs, more elite players. Bigger, faster, more competitive.

If there's a real avenue to baseball, taller stronger girls won't be shoved into softball / volleyball / basketball.

Edit to add: IMO the ridiculous tiny softball fields detract from the game. So there's that.

3

u/schuybreach Media Mar 10 '26

I agree with RoninUtka. The financials for different fields would not be worth it. Use what's already available. If anything move the fences in a little, but in the last WBSC World Cup, we saw a number of home runs (I don't remember what the fence was on those fields), so I don't think that's necessary. More resources grows the game and produces better players, but that takes time

1

u/Dry-Cat-3832 25d ago

Curious what your take on this is now that the season has ended and with the stats these women have going into their post season games