2014 Earth Water Baseball Classic

The 2014 Earth Water Baseball Classic (EWBC) was an international professional water baseball competition, held from October 24 to November 16, 2014. This will be the eighth edition of the Earth Water Baseball Classic, a biannual event that dates back to 2000.

The 2014 Earth Water Baseball Classic will be held in Palau. This is the first EWBC to be held in Broceania (really Oceania, but I digress). Palau was awarded the WEBC in November 2010, defeating finalists Afghanistan and the United States. The United States would later be awarded the 2016 EWBC, which will be their second  time hosting (after the inaugural event in 2000).

The opening game on October 24 features host Palau against a yet-to-be-determined opponent. The group stage runs from October 24-November 1. The knock-out stage of the tournament runs from November 2-17, with the three game championship series being held November 15, 16, and if necessary 17.

Qualification Process
Thirty-two nations qualify for this tournament. Palau automatically qualifies as the host. The remaining spots are doled out to the continental WBB associations in the following manor:
 * North America (including central America and the Carribbean): 7 spots
 * South America: 3 spot
 * Africa: 4 spots
 * Europe: 8 spots
 * Asia: 6 spots
 * Broceania: 2 spots
 * The final spot is filled by the winner of an 8-team tournament featuring the 8th place team from North America, 4th and 5th place teams from South America, 5th place team from Africa, 9th place teams from Eurpoe, 7th place team from Asia, and 3rd and 4th place teams from Broceania.

Qualification was held in October and November 2013, with the Final Spot Tournament being held in January 2014 in Palau, the site of the 2014 EWBC.

Here is a list of the nations that qualified:
 * North America: Canada, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, United States
 * South America: Argentina, Brazil, Venezuela,
 * Africa: Democratic Republic of Congo, Ivory Coast, Niger (Morgan), Sudan (Morgan)
 * Eurpoe:  England, France, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Russia, Switzerland, Wales (possibly due to whales eha eha)
 * Asia:  Laos, India, Japan, Malaysia, Qatar, South Korea
 * Broceania:  Australia, Fiji
 * Final Spot Tournament:  The Ukraine (defeating Afghanistan, Ghana, New Zealand, Paraguay, the Philippines, Trinidad and Tobago, and Uruguay)

Draw
The Draw will be held on July 14, 2014 at the site of the 2014 PWBL All Star Game, as per tradition. The draw is always held the day before the game, as it is combined with the Brome Run Derby for TV reasons.

Teams will be separated into four bowls (known as "pots" by Miami Druggies fans):
 * Host and Top 7
 * Palau
 * United States
 * Japan
 * Mexico
 * Portugal
 * France
 * South Korea
 * Australia


 * Europe and Broceania
 * England
 * Fiji
 * Germany
 * Italy
 * Russia
 * Switzerland
 * The Ukraine
 * Wales


 * The Americas
 * Argentina
 * Brazil
 * Canada
 * Cuba
 * Dominican Republic
 * Haiti
 * Honduras
 * Venezuela


 * Africa and Asia
 * Democratic Republic of Congo
 * India
 * Ivory Coast
 * Laos
 * Malaysia
 * Niger
 * Qatar
 * Sudan

Four nations, one from each bowl, are drawn into each bunch for the Bunch Stage. The Bunches are referred to as Bunches A through H. The Draw was held on July 14, 2014 in San Antonio, Texas, site of the 2014 PWBL All Star Game and Brome Run Dreby

Bunch Stage
For the Bunch Stage, six games will be played over seven days (except the host and their opening night opponent will play the bunch stage over eight days. Teams play one "home" game and one "away" game against each opponent.


 * The host and their opening night opponent will play games October 24, 26, 27, 29, 30, and 31.
 * The other two teams from Bunch A, and all teams from Bunches B, C, and D, will play games October 25, 26, 27, 29, 30, and 31.
 * All teams in Bunches E, F, G, and H will play games October 26, 27, 28, 30, 31, and November 1.

Knockout Stage
All knock-out rounds are best-of-three series played on three consecutive days.


 * The eighth-finals involving teams from Bunches A, B, C, and D are played November 2, 3, and 4.
 * The eighth-finals involving teams from Bunches E, F, G, and H are played November 3, 4, and 5.
 * The quarter-finals involving teams from Bunches A, B, C, and D are played November 6, 7, and 8.
 * The quarter-finals involving teams from Bunches E, F, G, and H are played November 7, 8, and 9.
 * The semi-finals are played November 11, 12, and 13.
 * The final is played November 15, 16, and 17.