New video scoreboards which will enhance the fans’ viewing experience and a regular season major league baseball game between the New York Mets and the Philadelphia Phillies are among the highlights on tap at the 72nd Annual Little League Baseball World Series to be held here August 16 to 26.

With no cost of admission to attend, the Little League Baseball World Series is a fun and affordable experience for an all-day family outing. A family of four can attend the LLBWS (with no charge for parking or admission), purchase a souvenir program, and each person in the family can have a hot dog, french fries, and a large soda all for about $30. There are plenty of healthy options for families to choose from as well. Outside of the games, there are also plenty of opportunities for fans of all ages, including fun and entertaining opportunities within the Family Fun Zone, new and exciting merchandise available in one of the three Little League stores, a chance to participate in a long storied tradition of Little League pin trading, an interactive experience at the World of Little League Museum and more.

This summer at the Little League Baseball World Series, fans and players from around the world will get to enjoy a new in-game experience thanks to the addition of three state-of-the-art LED Video Display Scoreboards. Thanks to the continued support from the Easton family and the Easton Foundations, the two scoreboards located at each of the two stadiums have been replaced with new displays. A brand new third display board has been added along the back of Howard J. Lamade Stadium, which will offer fans throughout the concourse a unique game-day experience.

“Providing our players, coaches, volunteers, and fans with a memorable experience during their time at the Little League Baseball World Series each year is a central element of our planning, and thanks to the support from the Easton Foundations, we can create a brand-new experience this year,” said Stephen D. Keener, Little League President and CEO. “The new video scoreboards, and equally important, the new video board along our main concourse, will allow fans to keep informed of important updates, enjoy exciting interactive displays, social interactions, and activities, and most of all create memorable moments with their family and friends here in Williamsport.”

The decision to replace the old scoreboards, which were installed in the summer of 2009, was made after assessing the difficulty and cost to repair the old boards compared with installation of the new scoreboards. With very similar costs, and the support from the Easton Foundation, the decision was made to replace the boards and provide fully functional video display boards that will offer a unique and memorable experience throughout the complex.

For the second year in a row, Little League and Major League Baseball will be teaming up to host the MLB Little League Classic, this year featuring the New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday, August 19. In addition to the regular-season game played at Bowman Field, Major Leaguers on the Phillies and Mets will once again attend LLBWS games earlier in the day on August 19th which again demonstrates the players’ passion and commitment to helping grow the game at the youth level.

“Last year’s MLB Little League Classic was one of the most historic, memorable occasions in the 70-plus-year history of the Little League Baseball World Series,” said Stephen D. Keener, Little League President and CEO. “The 16 teams that participated in last year’s Little League Baseball World Series had an unforgettable experience at the MLB Little League Classic, and we’re thrilled that the Little Leaguers competing in this year’s World Series will also have this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to spend the day with the Phillies and the Mets at the Little League International Complex and at the MLB Little League Classic.”

Along with Todd Frazier’s return to Williamsport for the MLB Little League Classic, Little League International as a member of the New York Mets, he will be welcoming back all his former teammates from the 1998 Toms River (N.J.) East American Little League team on Sunday, August 19, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their LLBWS victory.

“I can’t wait (to be back),” said Frazier, who will also be greeting the winners of the 2018 Canon Little League Photo Contest in Williamsport that day. “I’m going to bring my two trading books full of pins from back in the day to trade with the kids. I’m going to watch the games going on. It’s going to be an unbelievable experience.”

Just two years after watching the Little League he once played for capture the Little League Baseball

World Series Championship title, Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Tulco and 2016 Maine-Endwell Little League sponsor, Thomas Tull, will be returning to Williamsport this summer to receive Little League’s highest honor, enshrinement into the Little League Hall of Excellence. His ceremony is set to take place prior to the World Series Championship Game at 3 p.m. on Sunday, August 26.

This year’s Challenger Division game will feature the Hazleton (Pa.) Little League and Highland Baseball Club (Evansville, Ind.) Little League on Saturday, August 25, at 10:30 a.m. and will be broadcast live on northeastern Pennsylvania’s and the Central Susquehanna Valley’s PBS Station, WVIA.

“Each year, the Challenger Division Exhibition Game is one of the most uplifting and inspiring aspects of the Little League Baseball World Series, and we are pleased to welcome both of these programs to Williamsport this year,” said Stephen D. Keener, Little League President and CEO. “We are delighted to have the opportunity to share this exciting day with all of the coaches, players, buddies, parents, and volunteers of each of the programs and hope they have a chance to enjoy their Little League World Series experience.”

This year’s Little League Baseball World Series begins on Thursday, August 16 at Volunteer Stadium at 1 p.m. with the Caribbean taking on the Asia-Pacific Region.