Ripken Baseball to Launch First-Ever Ripken Nationals, Bringing Country’s Top 12U Teams Together for a National Championship
(COOPERSTOWN, N.Y., Oct. 1, 2025) For the first time in its 20+ year history, Ripken Baseball will crown a true national champion. Today, the company announced the launch of Ripken Nationals, a premier 12U national championship tournament set to debut in 2026.
Regional qualifiers will begin in March across the country, culminating with the Championship taking place from June 30 to July 5 at Cooperstown All Star Village – the premier youth baseball destination in the town forever linked to baseball’s legends, and a rite of passage for 12U players chasing their own place in the game’s history. The final Championship Game will be played on Saturday, July 4, 2026.
Now part of the Unrivaled Sports family, Ripken Baseball is introducing this first-of-its-kind tournament series that will unite properties nationwide, creating an unforgettable experience for athletes and families alike. Qualifying tournaments will be held at Ripken Experiences, Diamond Nation, Sports Force Parks, and Rocker B Ranch, providing teams with the opportunity to earn their spot on the sport’s biggest youth stage. Sixteen teams will ultimately advance to the Ripken Nationals, where they’ll compete at no charge for the chance to leave their own legacy in Cooperstown.
“Cooperstown has always been a special place for baseball, and now it will serve as the backdrop for a true national championship,” said Unrivaled Sports’ Wade Martin, CEO of Baseball. “The Ripken Nationals will unite teams from across the country while giving kids and families memories that last a lifetime. At Unrivaled Sports, we’re committed to delivering unmatched experiences, and this championship is another opportunity for teams nationwide to be part of something extraordinary.”
To celebrate this historic youth sports moment in baseball, the Ripken National Championship and select Ripken Nationals qualifier games will air exclusively on CBS Sports Network. In addition, Ripken Nationals has partnered with GameChanger, the #1-rated youth sports app and part of the DICK’S Sporting Goods family. All scores and stats will be powered by GameChanger, which will also stream select games and deliver highlights instantly after each contest.
Registration for Ripken Nationals qualifiers opens Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025. All qualifying champions will receive free entry into the National Championship.
More information can be found at www.RipkenBaseball.com/Nationals.
About Ripken Baseball®
As part of the Unrivaled Sports family of properties, Ripken Baseball brings teammates, coaches, and families together through its Big League Experiences while teaching children how to play sports the right way – the Ripken Way. Ripken Baseball continues to innovate the game through tournaments, camps, clinics, and spring training at their state-of-the-art facilities – The Ripken Experience® Aberdeen Powered by Under Armour® (Maryland), The Ripken Experience® Myrtle Beach (South Carolina), The Ripken Experience® Pigeon Forge (Tennessee), The Ripken Experience® Elizabethtown (Kentucky), Cooperstown All Star Village (New York), Diamond Nation (New Jersey), Rocker B Ranch (Texas), and Sports Force Parks™ at Cedar Point Sports Center (Ohio). Ripken Baseball also develops and trains athletes through Baseball Factory™, Softball Factory™, and the All-Ripken Games. Learn more about Ripken Baseball at ripkenbaseball.com.
About Unrivaled Sports
Unrivaled Sports, the nation's leader in youth sports experiences, delivers best-in-class experiences for young athletes, their families and communities through a diverse set of brands across youth sports venues, properties and programming. Unrivaled Sports has welcomed some of the most iconic names in youth sports into its growing family of brands including Cooperstown All Star Village, Ripken Baseball Experiences, Rocker B Ranch, Diamond Nation, Unrivaled Flag, We Are Camp action sports camp and more. From hosting destination tournaments to powering hometown leagues, Unrivaled Sports is committed to delivering formative, memory-making experiences to hundreds of thousands of young athletes and their families across the country. Learn more at unrivaledsports.com @unrivaled.sports.