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Mussatto: OKC reaffirms standing as Softball Capital of the World with Olympics on way

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Oklahoma City is already the home of college softball and USA Softball. In 2028, the world of softball will descend upon Oklahoma City. 

It was announced Friday that Devon Park, formerly known as USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium, will be the host venue for softball in the 2028 Los Angeles Summer Olympics. Oklahoma City, pending approval from the Los Angeles City Council, will also host canoeing. 

As the annual home of the Women’s College World Series, the announcement Friday was affirmation: OKC is the Softball Capital of the World. 

“It’s the perfect stage for the best softball athletes in the world to realize their Olympic dream,” Riccardo Fraccari, president of the World Baseball Softball Confederation, said in a statement. “The cutting edge stadium, arguably one of the best softball stadiums in the world, will give us and (Los Angeles 2028) the opportunity to spread the passion for Olympic softball in the U.S. and around the world while using an existing facility for the Games.” 

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Rather than building an adequate softball stadium in Southern California, using an existing venue like Devon Park — albeit 1,300 miles away from the epicenter of the Games — is an effort toward sustainability. 

The 13,000-seat stadium is a one-of-a-kind softball venue, located in the middle of a softball-crazed state. OU softball, winners of four straight national championships, has fueled the fervor. OSU has also been a fixture in the WCWS. 

After the 2019 WCWS, an upper deck was added to Devon Park to increase the capacity by 4,000. It was part of nearly $30 million in renovations. 

Softball was first included as an Olympic event in 1996 in Atlanta. It remained a fixture of the summer games through 2008 but was taken off the docket in 2012 and 2016 before returning in the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, which were played in 2021 due to the pandemic. 

Neither softball nor baseball will be played in the upcoming Paris Olympics. 

When Oklahoma City hosts in 2028, it will be the sixth time softball has been part of the Olympic slate. 

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The United States is the No. 1 team in the world, according to the World Baseball Softball Confederation. Puerto Rico, Japan, Chinese Taipei and Canada round out the top five. 

Team USA has won three Olympic softball gold medals (1996, 2000, 2004). Japan won the last two (2008, 2020). 

The Americans, playing on home soil, will likely be the favorites in 2028, when Oklahoma City will proudly welcome countries from across the globe to the Softball Capital of the World.

Joe Mussatto is a sports columnist for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Joe? Email him at jmussatto@oklahoman.com. Support Joe’s work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com.

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