EXCLUSIVE: OK Little League Controversy Raises New Questions Over Potential Profiteering on Little League Trademark
What was supposed to be a straightforward entry fee for the Oklahoma Little League State Tournament has quickly raised questions about how the tournament was being administered and where the money was going.
New evidence shows who issued those instructions and where the money was directed.
On June 16, Oklahoma District Administrator Mindy Abbott sent a text message to all three Little League Charters participating in the Little League (Major) Baseball State Tournament. In the text, she notified them of a $100 tournament entry fee, which was required to participate.
When the teams arrived at Oklahoma City’s Wheeler Park ahead of their first game on June 22, they were instructed to pay the $100 to Tulsa Area Youth Softball and Baseball, Inc.
One of the participants, who was granted anonymity out of fear of retribution, provided a receipt to Softball On SI Thursday afternoon, showing the merchant information as www.okdiamonds.org and the email is listed as tulsallbb@gmail.com.
In addition to the entry fee receipt, a $5 gate fee receipt was also provided to the team from Tulsa Area Youth Softball and Baseball, Inc.
According to the OK Diamonds website, it “offers practice fields, leagues and tournaments for Softball and Baseball,” and is reported on IRS tax filings as Tulsa Little League, Inc.
Tulsa Little League, Inc., is a separate business entity not affiliated with Tulsa National Little League. As a result, the name itself violates Regulation XVI of the Little League Rulebook.
The rule states that the use of the Little League name and emblem “is granted to chartered leagues and cannot be extended by local leagues to any other organization for any purpose whatsoever.” The name and emblems also include: “LITTLE LEAGUE, LITTLE LEAGUER, LITTLE LEAGUE BASEBALL, SENIOR LEAGUE LITTLE LEAGUE BASEBALL, LITTLE LEAGUE SOFTBALL, LITTLE LEAGUE CHALLENGER DIVISION, LL, LLB, and the Little League Emblems or logos.”
The 990-EZ form, which is public record as a registered nonprofit, for Tulsa Little League, Inc, states “Tulsa Little League furthers its charitable purposes by hosting sports leagues, conducting training and education providing scholarships and offering sports facilities for youth and special needs children.”
The minor change in business names has even caused confusion in the ongoing litigation between Tulsa County and Tulsa Little League Baseball, Inc.
Court documents filed by Tulsa County on March 6, 2025, allege that Tulsa Little League Baseball, Inc. owes $45,685.16 for electric bills, $14,100.77 for water and sewer and $53,545.84 in interest over the past 10 years, with the county asking the court to order Little League to vacate the premises.
Tulsa County could not provide comment because of its active lawsuit but in an open records request, an email dated May 20, 2025, from Tulsa National Little League President and Oklahoma Little League State Tournament Director Stephen Skocik to Tulsa County Parks & Recreation Director Matt Hancock, Tulsa Little League, Inc. is the entity that holds the lease at LaFortune Park in Tulsa.
However, the original lease was signed in 2015 by Skocik of Tulsa Little League Baseball, Inc.
Tulsa Little League Baseball, Inc. is the incorporated business entity of Tulsa National Little League and was formed in 1984.
BREAKING: Oklahoma Little League officials have issued a vote of no confidence in the administration, a revocation of Tulsa National's Charter, and a vacating of all 2025 and 2026 Oklahoma State and Southwest Regional tournament titles.
— Maren Angus (@Maren_Angus) August 13, 2026
Here's the full statement: pic.twitter.com/pfFcYgIpVk
Tulsa Area Youth Softball and Baseball, Inc., Tulsa Little League, Inc., Tulsa Little League Baseball, Inc., and Tulsa National Little League are all owned and operated by Skocik.
Skocik serves as president of at least two of the registered nonprofits, Cheyanne Phillippe is listed as the treasurer and Adam Brown is mentioned as the secretary, according to both business’s IRS 990-EZ filings.
Skocik is also listed as the Safety Officer for Oklahoma District 1, which represents the entire state.
A spokesperson for one of the teams that played in the Oklahoma State Tournament, who requested anonymity out of fear of retaliation from Abbott and Southwest Region Director Blaine Whitmire, told Softball On SI in a phone interview that they “weren’t sure where the $100 went or what it was for.”
The $100 was in addition to the $300 paid to the Little League International Tournament Data Center.
“There is a $300 entry fee per tournament team enrolled at the Little League, Intermediate (50/70), Junior League, and Senior League divisions of play,” the Little League rulebook states. “Little League International uses the funds raised through these fees to help offset the direct financial assistance that Little League International gives to leagues for teams advancing to Region and World Series tournaments.”
As a result of this Little League policy, Districts that host District and State tournaments are not allowed to charge teams additional fees for entry into those respective levels of the Little League International Tournament because that $300 is used to offset the District’s cost for hosting the tournament.
As previously stated, parents provided Softball On SI with receipts for a $5 gate fee, which is also a violation of Little League Regulation XI.
The parents of Tulsa National have released a statement following the judge’s ruling.
— Maren Angus (@Maren_Angus) August 11, 2026
“To our own Oklahoma administration, the Southwest Regional administration, and Little League International: this one is on you.
“They deserved better. We are reviewing the tulsa national… https://t.co/QUVbze2z9B pic.twitter.com/2hUYcTXWVd
The regulation states that while voluntary donations are allowed, “no admission shall be charged to any Tee Ball, Minor League, or Little League (Major) Division game.”
That same spokesperson also told Softball On SI that an official Little League volunteer told them there was no gate fee because it was Little League and moments later, a table was set up by Abbott and another volunteer for gate fee collection.
Following the money trail further shows how the participants at the Oklahoma State Tournament were duped into believing how Little League International operates.
When in reality, Little League International has rules and regulations in place to prevent the profiteering of the Little League trademark.
The next status conference for Tulsa County and Tulsa Little League Baseball, Inc., is scheduled for Sept. 15 at the District Court In and For Tulsa County, Okla., at 9 a.m.
Softball On SI reached out to the email listed on the tournament entry fee and gate fee receipts for comment and did not receive a response.
How Was Tulsa National Softball Impacted?
Three weeks before baseball was disqualified, the Tulsa National softball team was removed from the Southwest Region Tournament.
Tulsa National advanced without play because only two of the state's five charters registered for softball this season. The other charter belongs to Deer Creek Little League.
Tulsa was removed from competition in Waco, Texas, when the Little League International Tournament Committee “determined that the adult volunteers and parents did not provide sufficient documentation to verify that all players are eligible to participate in the International Tournament based on either their school enrollment or bona fide habitation within the league’s official boundaries.”
The softball team reached the semifinals of the Little League World Series in 2025.
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Maren Angus was born in Los Angeles and raised in Nashville, Tenn. She is a graduate of Middle Tennessee State University and has been a sports writer since 2008. She has been covering college softball since 2016 for various outlets including Softball America, ESPNW and Hurrdat Sports. She is currently the managing editor of Softball On SI and also serves as an analyst for Nebraska softball games on Nebraska Public Media and B1G+.