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Baseball United

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Baseball United
SportBaseball
Founded2022; 2 years ago (2022)
First season2025
No. of teams5
CountriesIndia (1 team)
Pakistan (1 team)
Saudi Arabia (1 team)
United Arab Emirates (2 teams)
Official websitewww.baseballunited.com

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

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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.[3] In November, the UIBL announced it would rebrand to "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, as well as the Kansas City Monarchs of the Negro leagues.[11] League officials said that the Monarchs and Cobras are expected to be the league's biggest rivals, noting the fierce India–Pakistan cricket rivalry and likening it to the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox.[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, representing Dubai and Abu Dhabi, respectively.[14]

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,[15] was selected first overall by the Mumbai Cobras. Former MLB players drafted included Dominicans Robinson Canó and Bartolo Colon, Venezuelan Pablo Sandoval, and Curaçaons Didi Gregorius and Andrelton Simmons.[16]

On March 26, 2024, the league announced a fifth franchise based in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia that did not have a nickname.[17] 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 teams that were announced 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.[2]

Teams

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Location of the teams

The five teams that will complete in the first season are: [2][18]

Team City Country Joined
Mumbai Cobras Mumbai India India 2023
Karachi Monarchs Karachi Pakistan Pakistan 2023
Arabia Wolves Dubai United Arab Emirates UAE 2023
Mid East Falcons Abu Dhabi United Arab Emirates UAE 2023
Riyadh Riyadh Saudi Arabia 2024

Criticism

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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.[19][20]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "2023 All-Star Showcase | Baseball United". www.baseballunited.com. Retrieved 2024-08-09.
  2. ^ a b c "Baseball United Announces Dates for First Full Season and Inaugural Baseball United Cup". baseballunited.com. Retrieved 2024-08-09.
  3. ^ a b "New baseball league announces Dubai International Stadium as official venue for inaugural showcase". Arab News. Aug 18, 2022. Archived from the original on June 5, 2023. Retrieved June 5, 2023.
  4. ^ "Baseball Hall of Famers Barry Larkin, Mariano Rivera take on larger role with "Baseball United"". Fansided.com. Nov 5, 2022. Archived from the original on June 5, 2023. Retrieved June 5, 2023.
  5. ^ "Baseball United grows the game in Pakistan as West Asia Cup takes place". Insider Sport. Jan 30, 2023. Archived from the original on June 5, 2023. Retrieved June 5, 2023.
  6. ^ "2-time MLB All-Star Elvis Andrus joins Baseball United ownership group". Arab News. April 17, 2023. Archived from the original on June 5, 2023. Retrieved June 5, 2023.
  7. ^ "About | Baseball United". baseballunited.com. Archived from the original on 2 June 2024. Retrieved 2024-08-09.
  8. ^ "Baseball's Best Player Ronald Acuña Jr. Joining Baseball United Ownership Group". baseballunited.com. Retrieved 2024-08-09.
  9. ^ Nick El Hajj (May 15, 2023). "Dubai-based professional baseball league announces first franchise, Mumbai Cobras". Associated Press News. Archived from the original on June 5, 2023. Retrieved June 5, 2023.
  10. ^ "Former MLB All-Star Chris Sabo named manager of Baseball United's first franchise". Arab News. May 24, 2023. Archived from the original on June 4, 2023. Retrieved June 7, 2023.
  11. ^ "Baseball United names Karachi Monarchs as its second franchise". Arab News. May 30, 2023. Archived from the original on June 5, 2023. Retrieved June 5, 2023.
  12. ^ "Dubai-based baseball league announces Karachi Monarchs, Pakistan's first professional team". Arabian Business. May 30, 2023. Archived from the original on June 5, 2023. Retrieved June 5, 2023.
  13. ^ Enrique Rojas (June 5, 2023). "Adrián Beltré nombra a Miguel Tejada mánager en Pakistán" (in Spanish). ESPN Deportes. Archived from the original on June 5, 2023. Retrieved June 5, 2023.
  14. ^ "Baseball United announces Dubai Wolves and Abu Dhabi Falcons as its latest two franchises". Arab News. 2023-08-04. Archived from the original on 2023-10-24. Retrieved 2023-08-05.
  15. ^ "Karan Patel College, Minor & Independent Leagues Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved 2024-08-09.
  16. ^ Connon, Sam (23 October 2023). "Robinson Canó, Bartolo Colon Among Former MLB Players Drafted to New League in Dubai". Fastball. Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on 23 October 2023. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
  17. ^ "Baseball United Signs Historic Partnership to Bring Professional Baseball to Saudi Arabia". baseballunited.com. Retrieved 2024-08-09.
  18. ^ "Baseball United Announces Dubai Wolves And Abu Dhabi Falcons As Its Latest Two Franchises". menafn.com. Archived from the original on 2023-08-05. Retrieved 2023-08-05.
  19. ^ Russ, Maxwell. "Sportswashing and The UAE's Baseball United League". sports-entertainment.brooklaw.edu. Retrieved 2024-08-09.
  20. ^ "Effectively Wild Episode 2086: Eyewash, Greenwash, Sportswash, Tell 'im Wash". FanGraphs Baseball. 2023-11-17. Retrieved 2024-08-09.
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