2024 ISC Board Meeting Summary with Rules Changes and More
Blair Setford • August 22, 2024
ISC Executive Elections Results, Rules Changes and More Covered at Annual Board Meeting
The ISC Board of Directors met at Softball City in Surrey, BC during the 78th Annual ISC World Tournament. Included among the decisions ratified by the board were the following:
- Confirmation of the July 26 - Aug 2 dates for the 2025 ISC World Tournament in North Mankato, MN
- Elimination of the roles of Executive Committee Chairman and Vice-President, Operations as the duties of those roles have been disbursed to others in the organization
- Reduction in the maximum ISC roster size from 18 to 16 (note this does not apply to ISC Legends where the 20-man roster is still in effect)
- Changes to the run-rule differentials to 12 runs after 3 innings, 10 runs after 4 innings and 7 runs after 5 innings
- Adoption of the automatic intentional walk rule
- Under playing rule exceptions from the USA Softball rules, an ejection from a game of any player, coach or team official does not result in an automatic one-game suspension however, the ISC protest committee shall have the authority to impose additional sanctions on any player, coach or team official for egregious conduct
- The eligibility period for player nominations to the ISC Hall of Fame is reduced from five years to three years of inactivity following a player's last ISC World Tournament
- Player nominations for induction into the ISC Hall of Fame at the 2025 ISC World Tournament will continue to be accepted through to September 30, 2024
- Applications to host the 2026 ISC World Tournament will continue to be accepted through December 31, 2024
The ISC Board also elected the following to two-year terms for the listed executive positions:
- President: Chris Santos
- Communications VP: Blair Setford
- USA VP: Keith Erkenbrack
- Canada VP: Todd McCabe
- World Tournament VP: Rich Haldane
- Treasurer: Greg Nydick
- Secretary: Tom Stasik
The ISC is setting the entry fee for the World Tournament and Legends Championship at $750 US starting in 2026, with the differential from the previous charge of $600 dedicated to streaming to ensure coverage of every game. “This was not a decision that we made lightly to raise the entry fee,” said ISC President Chris Santos. “We want to ensure that every game played at the ISC World Tournament is streamed and we are putting every dollar of the fee increase into our streaming operation.” “Our plan is to work with our streaming partner Softball Premier TV to have full multi-camera coverage, including commentary, on two diamonds and cover the third and fourth diamonds with a single camera that is connected to GameChanger so fans will have the informative score ribbon,” said ISC VP Communications Blair Setford. “Streaming is one of the best tools that we have to get our great game in front of a broader audience and we need to take every available step to continue to grow our ISC brand of fastpitch,” said Santos. Businesses and other potential sponsors who would consider an ad on the ISC Network streaming program should contact Blair Setford through the ISC Website Contact Us page. In 2025, there were over 225,000 views on the Softball Premier and ISC Fastpitch YouTube pages just from the ISC World Tournament games.
This year, the International Softball Congress looks for new ways to enhance the ISC World Tournament and ISC Legends Tournament experience for players, coaches, officials, and fans. As part of that commitment, we are excited to launch the 2025 ISC Player Poll, open to every player who competed in this year’s World Tournament or Legends division. Your feedback is incredibly important to us. Whether it’s insights on facilities, scheduling, transportation, host city features, game operations, or anything else that shaped your tournament experience, your input directly helps the ISC and future tournament hosts raise the bar. 💬 100% Anonymous — Your Voice, Your Impact The survey is completely anonymous. We want honest, unfiltered responses from the athletes who know the event best — the ones on the field. Your perspective helps us identify what worked well, what needs improvement, and what can be introduced in the future to elevate the ISC experience for everyone. 🎯 Why Your Feedback Matters Player feedback is used to: Improve host selection and preparation Enhance facility and field requirements Refine scheduling, transportation, and accommodations Support host cities with real data from athletes Strengthen the overall competitive environment Continue building the standard of excellence ISC events are known for Your voice has the power to shape the future of the World Tournament and Legends division for years to come. 🔗 Complete the Poll You can fill out the 2025 Player Poll here: 👉 Click here to access the player poll Please take a few minutes to complete it. Your feedback matters — and it truly helps the ISC continue investing in the growth and excellence of men’s fastpitch softball. Thank you to every player who took the field this year. Your dedication, passion, and insight keep this sport moving forward.