Okotoks locks in Road to Okotoks hosting through 2029 after record inaugural turnout

Baseball Canada and the Okotoks Dawgs announced an extension of the Road to Okotoks national championship through 2029, with an option to extend hosting through 2032.

The Road to Okotoks, which showcases the Morneau Cup—the U19 academy national championship named after Canadian MLB legend Justin Morneau—will continue at Seaman Stadium Complex and Tourmaline Field.

The inaugural tournament in July drew exceptional support. The event attracted over 5,000 visitors to the area with total attendance of 18,696 fans across the tournament. The championship game between Okotoks and Sylvan Lake drew 3,481 fans—a Baseball Canada attendance record. The Okotoks Dawgs Academy 18U Black won the inaugural title, outlasting a field of 16 teams, including 15 that qualified through regional qualifiers in British Columbia, Alberta, and Ontario.

"The first Road to Okotoks showed exactly what this event can be," said Jason Dickson, Baseball Canada CEO. "The level of play was outstanding, but what really separated the event was the environment in Okotoks. Seeing these young players compete in front of large, passionate crowds at Seaman Stadium created something incredibly special. It's an experience that is difficult to replicate anywhere else in Canadian baseball, and we want even more programs to have the opportunity to be part of it in 2027."

John Ircandia, Dawgs managing director, said hosting the inaugural tournament was a major community effort. "As hosts, the Dawgs' goal with the inaugural Road to Okotoks was to provide participating teams a quality of championship that they had never experienced," Ircandia said. "We knew with Seaman Stadium and Tourmaline Field there were no better facilities in the country. We knew that the passion of fans in our community was unmatched. Year two will be bigger and better!"

The tournament generated significant digital engagement: 8.5 million views and impressions on Baseball Canada's social media accounts, and 6.7 million impressions on scouting platform Prep Baseball's digital channels. The Okotoks Dawgs' own social media saw 2.1 million impressions, 35,000 interactions, and a reach of 127,000.

The 2027 tournament is scheduled for July 27 through August 1. Ticket packages became available October 2 through tickets.dawgsbaseball.ca or by calling the Dawgs office at 403-262-3294.