You would think the return of softball to the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles would be a moment of celebration for two-time Olympic medalist and L.A. native Natasha Watley, one of the most decorated players in U.S. softball history.
Instead, it turned to heartbreak.
The LA28 Olympics mark the return of softball to the Games after an eight-year absence. But due largely to infrastructure and cost concerns, the Olympic softball tournament will take place nearly 1,300 miles away in Oklahoma City.
“I will say, when the announcement hit, I am an L.A. girl, and I was heartbroken,” Watley said onstage at a Front Office Sports live event in Nashville last month. “Softball, Los Angeles, SoCal, that is the hotbed of softball. If you know anything about softball, a lot of girls play travel ball there, and I just thought that a big moment was missed.”
When Los Angeles made its bid for the 2028 Olympics, organizers emphasized that the Games would rely primarily on existing venues, avoiding new stadium construction amid the city’s ongoing budget concerns and the possibility that taxpayers could be responsible for any financial shortfalls.
That meant hosting softball in Southern California would have required adapting either a major or minor league baseball stadium to accommodate the sport.
Instead, the tournament will take place in Devon Park in Oklahoma City, the largest softball stadium in the United States and home to the Women’s College World Series. Softball players will still be able to participate in either the opening or closing ceremonies in Los Angeles, according to organizers.
Watley said the biggest loss may be the Olympic experience itself.
“I thought how the athletes are not going to have that opportunity to be in the village and come home after games,” Watley said. “My biggest memories are coming back to the village, seeing Michael Phelps with his medals on. And so I think that those are missed opportunities.”
Still, Watley, who retired in 2017 after winning Olympic gold in 2004 and silver in 2008, said the return of softball to the Games ultimately outweighs any disappointment about the location.
“We talk about the Women’s College World Series and the success that’s been there, the viewership,” she said. “The softball stadium [in Devon Park] is the most iconic stadium to play on if you are a softball athlete in Oklahoma. To showcase that to the world makes me very proud. This is a very important Olympics for us. We want to make sure that we are showcasing our sport and what it has to offer.”
Later in the discussion, Watley, who is an advisor to Athletes Unlimited Softball League, highlighted AUSL’s new six-city team model ahead of its second season in June, saying the expanded footprint could help grow the sport and build a pipeline of future Team USA stars ahead of LA28.
“Really bringing the teams to the [new] markets, I feel like that is going to be the difference for our young ladies,” Watley said. “We’re building a pipeline for USA. The best of the best are playing in this league. And having them be able to be showcased throughout the country, it’s just really lifting the profile and amplifying our sport.”
