NCAA Bat Ruling May Keep Inventory On Deck

KANSAS CITY, MO- Following an earlier decision to enact changes in aluminum bats for the 2000 season, The NCAA Division I committee has decided to get a jump on things-implementing the reduction in bat diameters and overall weights for the 1999 playoffs, beginning next May.
The Division I organizational committee's early decision, made for "safety reasons," will bring the bats in-line with other divisions' requirements that bat heads shouldn't exceed 2 5/8 inches and that the overall bat weights should be reduced, making them act more like wooden bats. The organization made no ruling on the issue of exit velocity, which had many manufacturers concerned-even resulting in a law suit from Easton Sports.
But implementing any change in equipment mid-season has left many coaches confused and may leave inventory on retail shelves.
"Baseball bat sales are going to be flat this year," said Bruce Combe, president and GM of team sport distributor Reda Sports Express. "Individual players and coaches are going to have to cut back on their purchases, waiting for new product."
But, with reduced inventories of bats that meet current standards, will manufacturers be able to accommodate the need for new bats on short notice?
"Manufacturers are smart and I wouldn't be surprised if they have been gearing up for this for awhile now," Combe said. "I'm sure manufacturers will have bats that meet the spring requirements by Super Show." In fact, Rawlings has already discontinued manufacturing the larger bats. And, according to reports, Jim Easton, president of Easton Sports, said that the company already has a bat which meets the new requirements.
But some organizations, such as the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC Division III), aren't waiting for changes in aluminum bats that make them act like wood, opting for wooden bats instead-which many feel may be the result of the NCAA changes. Others, though, are still confused as to what the future holds-such as the West Coast Conference (WCC), which suspended its decision to use wood bats for the 1999 season just days before the latest NCAA ruling.
According to Combe, the NCAA's decision has increased interest in wood bats. "I am getting a lot of calls from dealers for wooden bats," Combe said. "But the real shift will come if high schools follow the NCAA's lead, as they usually do. There are a lot more high school players than college players." (Baseball)