As baseball continues to grow in France and seeks to attract new players, local initiatives are actively contributing to its expansion. In this spirit, Baseball TV France met with Julien Alom, a passionate club player who has chosen to introduce this sport to as many people as possible. Through an accessible, free, and constraint-free approach, he has set up several actions aimed at attracting new enthusiasts. In this interview, he reflects on his journey, his motivations, and the keys to his commitment to democratizing baseball.
BTVF: Can you introduce yourself?
I’m Julien Alom, I’m 24 years old, and I’m passionate about baseball. I discovered this sport a few years ago, and since then, it has become a significant part of my life. Besides that, I create content on social media where I share my player’s journey and try to introduce baseball to as many people as possible in France.
BTVF: You started a group aimed at organizing friendly matches. How did you come up with the idea?
The idea came from a very simple observation: many people love baseball or want to discover the sport but don’t necessarily know how to start or can’t join a club immediately. I regularly received messages from people who just wanted to play, throw a few balls, or participate in a match in a relaxed atmosphere. So, I thought it was necessary to create a space where everyone could come together, regardless of their level, to practice together and discover baseball.
BTVF: How are the first organizations going? What are the successes and areas for improvement?
The beginnings are very encouraging. We have managed to bring together players from all backgrounds: beginners, former players, licensed players from different clubs, and even people who had never touched a baseball before.
The greatest success is probably seeing this diversity come together on the same field with the same goal: to have fun and share their passion for baseball. The atmosphere is very positive, and the feedback from participants is excellent.
Regarding areas for improvement, the main challenge remains logistics. Finding available fields in Île-de-France is not always easy, especially when the number of participants increases. We are also working to improve the organization of the matches so that everyone can play more and fully enjoy the experience.
BTVF: How does your movement resemble that of ‘Sandlot’ in the United States?
I think we share the same philosophy. The Sandlot movement puts the focus back on the game: fun, accessibility, and community. The goal is not necessarily competition or performance but rather bringing people together around a common passion.
We are trying to recreate that spirit in France: allowing anyone to come and play, meet new people, and discover baseball in a friendly atmosphere. It’s a way to make the sport more accessible and create bridges between the different actors in the baseball community.
BTVF: How can we address the shortage of baseball fields in Île-de-France?
That’s probably the biggest challenge today. In the short term, we need to work with clubs, local authorities, and facility managers to optimize the use of existing fields.
But I also think we need to be creative. Some training sessions, initiations, or simplified formats can be organized on multisport fields, green spaces, or other adapted infrastructures. The more we show that there is a real demand for baseball, the more chances we have of seeing new infrastructure projects emerge in the future.
BTVF: What are the new projects, and what can we wish for you?
The main goal is to continue developing this community throughout Île-de-France and then gradually in all regions of France to allow as many people as possible to discover and practice baseball in an accessible and friendly setting.
We want to organize more meetings, create recurring events, collaborate with existing clubs, and introduce baseball to an ever-wider audience through social media.
What you can wish for us is to continue spreading this passion to as many people as possible, to see the community grow, and, above all, to allow more and more people to discover and practice baseball in France.
Thanks to BTVF for their interest in this initiative and for highlighting amateur baseball in France. ⚾️
Interview by D Cannioux
Photo credits: Julien Alom RS
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