Dawgs to Host 2023 WCBL All-Star Game

PRESS RELEASE – The Western Canadian Baseball League (WCBL) is excited to announce that the 2023 All Star Game will once again be played at Seaman Stadium, home of the defending champion Okotoks Dawgs, on Saturday July 15, 2023.

The Dawgs – with average crowds in 2022 of more than 4,200 fans per game – are not only the top drawing franchise in the WCBL, but were recently ranked 4th in all of North America among summer collegiate clubs in attendance by Ballpark Digest.

The Dawgs hope to build on a highly successful 2022 All-Star Game, when the club attracted a record-breaking crowd of 6,000 fans to Seaman Stadium in Okotoks. The Dawgs are coming off a historic campaign that included welcoming their one millionth fan; breaking the WCBL record for wins in the regular season with 43; and concluding the playoffs with the franchise’s 6th WCBL Championship.

WCBL President Kevin Kvame of Lethbridge confirmed that the league was thrilled to award the 2023 showcase event to the summer collegiate circuit’s top drawing club, as well as its largest market, that being the greater Calgary area.

“The 2022 game was a highlight of the season and the entire Board of Governors wanted to continue to capture the enthusiasm and positive feeling that was witnessed at the 2022 sold out event. With Okotoks willing to do the event once again, this was a no brainer for the WCBL,” said Kvame in announcing the decision.

“This year was a truly remarkable season for the Dawgs. Not only did they shatter previous records for attendance, but they established a new record for wins in the regular season and ultimately captured another WCBL championship.”

Added Kvame: “The WCBL is pleased to offer fans one of the best baseball experiences on either side of the border at Seaman Stadium, one of the finest facilities in all of college baseball. As the WCBL’s flagship franchise, the Dawgs showcase all that is truly extraordinary about the WCBL.”

Like the 2022 event, the 2023 WCBL All-Star Game will not only feature the league’s top players, but will also entertain fans throughout the day.

Festivities will include a Home Run Derby, an onsite pre-game show, musical entertainment, fun activities for little leaguers of all ages, mascot challenges, a post-game fireworks display, and a featured Major League Baseball (MLB) celebrity for autograph signings. Canadian Matt Stairs, a former MLB star, was a special guest at the 2022 event.

The WCBL – the premier summer collegiate baseball league in Canada – is preparing for its 2023 season which will see the All-Star Game as a highlight of the schedule. Attendance for the league set another record in 2022 and we hope to see that number climb even higher in 2023.

“Throughout our 11 franchises in Alberta and Saskatchewan, we are providing fun, family-friendly entertainment to more and more of the public that recognize the reasonable and enjoyable value in attending WCBL games. They are really a centrepiece to every one of our community’s summer activities,” Kvame added when discussing the momentum the WCBL has achieved over the past few years.

“Nowhere is that community pride and passion for the game more evident than in Okotoks!”

Numerous Dawgs and WCBL alumni have gone on to be drafted and enjoy success with MLB organizations, including the Dawgs own Jim Henderson of Calgary, who pitched with the Milwaukee Brewers and the New York Mets. Andrew Kittredge, another former Okotoks Dawgs star, continues to pitch for the Tampa Bay Rays. Alejo Lopez – a Dawgs and WCBL alum – recently hit his first MLB home run for the Cincinnati Reds. In the 2022 MLB amateur draft, former Dawgs and WCBL standouts Jacob Melton and Gavin Logan were drafted in the 2nd and 9th rounds respectively by the Houston Astros and Arizona Diamondbacks.

Based on the response to the 2022 WCBL All-Star Game, tickets to the 2023 marquee event will go fast. To reserve seats, group or patio bookings, head over to the Dawgs website or call their ticket office at 403-262-3294.