Baseball United Explained

Baseball United
Sport:Baseball
Teams:5
Countries:India (1 team)
Pakistan (1 team)
Saudi Arabia (1 team)
United Arab Emirates (2 teams)
Inaugural:2025

Baseball United is a professional baseball league in the Middle East and South Asia. It began with two showcase games in Dubai in November 2023.[1] The first season with five teams representing cities in India, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates is scheduled to start in 2025.[2]

History

The United International Baseball League (UIBL) was founded on July 26, 2022, with a mission of bringing professional baseball to India, Pakistan, and the Middle East. Baseball Hall-of-Famers Mariano Rivera and Barry Larkin were announced as founding stakeholders. Rather than build new baseball fields, the league plans to redevelop existing cricket fields into baseball diamonds.[3]

On August 18, 2022, the UIBL announced that it would play nine of its inaugural games at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. In November, the UIBL rebranded as "Baseball United."[4]

Baseball United partnered with Pakistan Federation Baseball to organize the West Asia edition of the 2023 Asian Baseball Cup in Islamabad.[5] In April 2023, active MLB shortstop Elvis Andrus joined the league's ownership group.[6] The league has since announced other current and former MLB players as "co-owners," including Ronald Acuña Jr., Albert Pujols, Félix Hernández, and Ryan Howard.[7] [8]

On May 15, 2023, the league announced its first franchise as the Mumbai Cobras.[9] Former Major League Baseball (MLB) All-Star Chris Sabo was named the team's first manager.[10]

On May 30, 2023, the Karachi Monarchs was announced as the second team in the league. The Monarchs name references both the Karachi Kings cricket team and the Kansas City Monarchs of the Negro leagues.[11] [12] On June 5, 2023, Karachi appointed Hall of Famer Adrian Beltre and former MLB Most Valuable Player Miguel Tejada as its general manager and manager, respectively.[13] On August 4, 2023, Baseball United announced the Dubai Wolves and Abu Dhabi Falcons as the third and fourth baseball teams.[14] The two teams were renamed the Arabia Wolves and the Mid East Falcons, respectively, in 2024.[15]

The league's draft took place on October 23, 2023. Karan Patel, a right-handed pitcher who reached Double-A in the Chicago White Sox organization,[16] was selected first overall by the Mumbai Cobras. Former MLB players drafted included Robinson Canó, Bartolo Colon, Pablo Sandoval, Didi Gregorius, and Andrelton Simmons.[17]

On March 26, 2024, the league announced a fifth franchise based in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia that did not have a nickname.[18] On August 1, 2024, the league announced that its first full season is scheduled from October 23, 2025 to November 23, 2025. The five teams would each play 12 games. The timing and length of the season is similar to existing winter league baseball competitions. Additionally, the league stated that the first four announced teams would compete in the Baseball United Cup from February 22, 2025 to March 1, 2025. The cup has a round robin format, followed by a four-team playoff.

Teams

The five teams that will compete in the first season are:[19]

!Team!City!Country!Joined
Mumbai CobrasMumbai India2023
Karachi MonarchsKarachi Pakistan2023
Arabia WolvesDubai UAE2023
Mid East FalconsAbu Dhabi UAE2023
RiyadhRiyadhSaudi Arabia2024

Criticism

Critics, primarily in the United States, have stated that the formation of Baseball United and its partnerships with prominent MLB players is an example of sportswashing.[20] [21]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2023 All-Star Showcase Baseball United . 2024-08-09 . baseballunited.com . en.
  2. Web site: Baseball United Announces Dates for First Full Season and Inaugural Baseball United Cup . 2024-08-09 . baseballunited.com . en.
  3. News: New baseball league announces Dubai International Stadium as official venue for inaugural showcase . Arab News . Aug 18, 2022 . June 5, 2023 . June 5, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230605182419/https://www.arabnews.com/node/2145291/sport . live .
  4. Web site: Nov 5, 2022 . Baseball Hall of Famers Barry Larkin, Mariano Rivera take on larger role with "Baseball United" . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230605182429/https://calltothepen.com/2022/11/05/barry-larkin-mariano-rivera-baseball-united/ . June 5, 2023 . June 5, 2023 . Fansided.
  5. News: Baseball United grows the game in Pakistan as West Asia Cup takes place . Insider Sport . Jan 30, 2023 . June 5, 2023 . June 5, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230605182420/https://insidersport.com/2023/01/30/baseball-united-pakistan/ . live .
  6. News: April 17, 2023 . 2-time MLB All-Star Elvis Andrus joins Baseball United ownership group . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230605182423/https://www.arabnews.com/node/2288136/sport . June 5, 2023 . June 5, 2023 . Arab News.
  7. Web site: About Baseball United . https://web.archive.org/web/20240602063111/https://baseballunited.com/about . 2 June 2024 . 2024-08-09 . baseballunited.com.
  8. Web site: Baseball’s Best Player Ronald Acuña Jr. Joining Baseball United Ownership Group . 2024-08-09 . baseballunited.com . en.
  9. News: Nick El Hajj . Dubai-based professional baseball league announces first franchise, Mumbai Cobras . Associated Press News . May 15, 2023 . June 5, 2023 . June 5, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230605182419/https://apnews.com/article/dubai-baseball-united-middle-east-south-asia-285c1eed0514342fd5852a5d75832c2b . live .
  10. News: Former MLB All-Star Chris Sabo named manager of Baseball United's first franchise . Arab News . May 24, 2023 . June 7, 2023 . June 4, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230604181043/https://www.arabnews.com/node/2309641/sport . live .
  11. News: May 30, 2023 . Baseball United names Karachi Monarchs as its second franchise . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230605182421/https://www.arabnews.com/node/2313091/sport . June 5, 2023 . June 5, 2023 . Arab News.
  12. News: Dubai-based baseball league announces Karachi Monarchs, Pakistan's first professional team . Arabian Business . May 30, 2023 . June 5, 2023 . June 5, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230605182419/https://www.arabianbusiness.com/lifestyle/lifestyle-sport/dubai-based-baseball-league-announces-karachi-monarchs-pakistans-first-professional-team . live .
  13. News: Enrique Rojas . June 5, 2023 . Adrián Beltré nombra a Miguel Tejada mánager en Pakistán . Adrián Beltré appoints Miguel Tejada as manager in Pakistan . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230605182420/https://espndeportes.espn.com/beisbol/nota/_/id/12154720/adrian-beltre-nombra-a-miguel-tejada-manager-en-pakistan . June 5, 2023 . June 5, 2023 . es . ESPN Deportes.
  14. Web site: 2023-08-04 . Baseball United announces Dubai Wolves and Abu Dhabi Falcons as its latest two franchises . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20231024154819/https://www.arabnews.com/node/2349496/sport . 2023-10-24 . 2023-08-05 . . en.
  15. Web site: March 26, 2024 . Baseball United Expands Reach of its Middle East Franchises . 2024-08-13 . Baseball United . en.
  16. Web site: Karan Patel College, Minor & Independent Leagues Statistics . 2024-08-09 . Baseball-Reference.com . en.
  17. News: Connon . Sam . Robinson Canó, Bartolo Colon Among Former MLB Players Drafted to New League in Dubai . 23 October 2023 . Fastball . . 23 October 2023 . en . 23 October 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231023205939/https://www.si.com/fannation/mlb/fastball/news/robinson-cano-bartolo-colon-pablo-sandoval-among-former-mlb-players-drafted-to-new-baseball-league-in-dubai . live .
  18. Web site: Baseball United Signs Historic Partnership to Bring Professional Baseball to Saudi Arabia . 2024-08-09 . baseballunited.com . en.
  19. Web site: August 4, 2023 . Baseball United Announces Dubai Wolves And Abu Dhabi Falcons As Its Latest Two Franchises . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230805052915/https://menafn.com/1106785135/Baseball-United-Announces-Dubai-Wolves-And-Abu-Dhabi-Falcons-As-Its-Latest-Two-Franchises . 2023-08-05 . 2023-08-05 . menafn.com . en.
  20. Web site: Russ . Maxwell . Sportswashing and The UAE’s Baseball United League . 2024-08-09 . sports-entertainment.brooklaw.edu . en-US.
  21. Web site: Linbergh . Ben . November 17, 2023 . Effectively Wild Episode 2086: Eyewash, Greenwash, Sportswash, Tell ’im Wash . August 9, 2024 . FanGraphs.