Fastpitch Giants Unite: Tampa Bay Tapped for National Training Hub and Headquarters

TAMPA BAY, FL – April 07, 2026 – In a landmark move poised to reshape the landscape of women's fastpitch softball, training franchise SixFour3 and national governing body The Alliance Fastpitch have announced a strategic partnership to develop a premier training facility and new national headquarters in the Tampa Bay region. The ambitious project, backed by the newly formed SixFour3 Tampa Bay Fund, aims to create an epicenter for female athlete development in one of the nation's most vibrant youth sports markets.

This collaboration brings together an industry-leading training innovator and a key national organization, signaling a significant investment in the infrastructure and future of women's sports. The planned facility will not only serve as a state-of-the-art training ground for athletes but will also become the operational heart of The Alliance Fastpitch, consolidating leadership and programming under one roof.

A New Era for Athlete Development

The partnership promises to create a comprehensive development ecosystem unlike any other in the sport. SixFour3, an Inc. 5000 honoree that began franchising in 2023, has built its reputation on a unique, membership-based model providing 24/7 access to automated training facilities designed exclusively for female softball players. This approach addresses a long-standing disparity in the quality and availability of dedicated practice spaces for girls compared to their male counterparts.

By integrating this proven training platform with The Alliance Fastpitch's extensive network of national events, showcases, and competition pathways, the Tampa Bay hub will offer young athletes a seamless journey from local training to national exposure. The facility is slated to host a full calendar of Alliance-supported programming, including elite camps, clinics, and coaching education seminars.

"This partnership represents an exciting milestone," stated Matthew Cooke, CEO of SixFour3, in the official announcement. "We are building a flagship training center in Tampa Bay that combines SixFour3's athlete development platform with the reach of The Alliance Fastpitch to serve athletes, families, and the softball community."

Jami Lobpries, CEO of The Alliance Fastpitch, echoed this sentiment, noting that the collaboration deepens her organization's mission. The new headquarters, she explained, will create a central hub for athlete development, innovative programming, and broad collaboration across the sport, strengthening the entire fastpitch community.

Tampa Bay's Next Economic Home Run

The selection of the Tampa Bay/St. Petersburg area was a calculated strategic decision, capitalizing on the region's status as one of the fastest-growing youth sports markets in the United States. Local officials and business leaders have increasingly recognized sports tourism as a powerful economic engine, and this project is set to become a major new contributor.

The potential impact can be contextualized by the success of existing local venues. For example, the Hillsborough County Tournament SportsPlex, in its first five years, hosted over 160 events that attracted more than 372,000 attendees and generated over 218,000 hotel room nights, far exceeding initial projections. The new SixFour3 and Alliance Fastpitch facility is expected to draw a similar, if not greater, influx of athletes, families, and coaches from across the country for national tournaments, showcases, and training camps, injecting millions of dollars into the local economy through lodging, dining, and retail.

Fueling this development is the SixFour3 Tampa Bay Fund, an investment vehicle launched to finance the facility's construction and operation. The fund is actively seeking qualified investors, strategic partners, and community supporters to participate in what is being positioned as a next-generation training and event platform. This model not only funds the project but also creates opportunities for local and national stakeholders to invest directly in the growth of women's sports.

Building a National Blueprint for Fastpitch

While the immediate focus is on Tampa Bay, the long-term vision extends far beyond Florida's Gulf Coast. This partnership serves as a blueprint for a national strategy aimed at unifying and standardizing the often-fragmented world of youth fastpitch softball. The combination of a scalable franchise training model with a national governing body's oversight represents a powerful new approach to sport infrastructure.

Kevin Bednoski, Chief Development Officer of SixFour3, emphasized this broader ambition. "We aim to build a national network of elite training environments dedicated exclusively to female athletes," he said. "Partnering with The Alliance Fastpitch aligns athlete development and community investment to strengthen the ecosystem of our sport and grow the future of softball."

SixFour3's rapid expansion since launching its franchise program—with new locations announced in Nashville, Richmond, Atlanta, and Fairfax—demonstrates the market demand for its model. The Alliance partnership provides a powerful new layer to this expansion, offering future franchisees a direct connection to the sport's national leadership and competitive framework. The Tampa Bay facility, featuring state-of-the-art training technology and collaborative workspaces, is designed to be a replicable model that could inspire and guide the development of future SixFour3 centers nationwide, creating a cohesive and powerful network for the sport.