California Commotion Explained

California Commotion
League:National Pro Fastpitch
Location:California
Founded:2020
Coach:Kirk Walker
Owner:Damon Zumwalt

The California Commotion were a professional women's softball team based in California. They were founded in 2019 as part of National Pro Fastpitch to be an expansion club for the 2020 National Pro Fastpitch season.[1]

History

Their introduction made them the first West Coast-based team in the league since 2005, when the California Sunbirds left the league.[2] The club planned to prioritize West Coast players in their roster. On November 17, 2019, Kirk Walker was named head coach and assistant general manager of the team. The team would not have a home field for the 2020 season, and instead would play games throughout the state, although their main team base would be in Los Angeles.[3]

Their debut was delayed indefinitely as the 2020 and 2021 seasons were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[4] [5] On August 1, 2021, the league announced that, due to a lack of revenue after cancelling the previous two seasons, it would be suspending operations. As a result, the California Commotion never played a game.[6]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Commotion Leads National Pro Fastpitch Expansion to West Coast. https://web.archive.org/web/20200111153129/https://profastpitch.com/commotion-leads-national-pro-fastpitch-expansion-to-west-coast/. usurped. January 11, 2020. National Pro Fastpitch. November 13, 2019.
  2. Web site: National Pro Fastpitch Adds Team in California; Kirk Walker Named Head Coach. November 17, 2019. National Fastpitch Coaches Association.
  3. Web site: What The Addition Of The California Commotion Means For NPF. Kayla. Lombardo. November 14, 2019. Softball America.
  4. Web site: National Pro Fastpitch Cancels 2020 Season due to COVID-19. https://web.archive.org/web/20200517055700/https://profastpitch.com/national-pro-fastpitch-cancels-2020-season-due-to-covid-19/. usurped. May 17, 2020. May 15, 2020. National Pro Fastpitch.
  5. Web site: National Pro Fastpitch Suspends Games for 2021 season. https://web.archive.org/web/20201203150101/https://profastpitch.com/national-pro-fastpitch-suspends-games-for-2021-season/. usurped. December 3, 2020. National Pro Fastpitch. December 3, 2020.
  6. Web site: NPF Suspends League Operations . https://web.archive.org/web/20210801170042/https://profastpitch.com/npf-suspends-league-operations/ . usurped . August 1, 2021 . 4 August 2021.