Baseball United announces schedule for historic first season in the UAE
DUBAI: Baseball United, the first professional baseball league focused on the Middle East and Indian subcontinent, has announced the official dates and schedule for its debut season.
For the latest updates, follow us @ArabNewsSport
The inaugural series will run from Nov. 14 to Dec. 14, with all games played at Baseball United Ballpark in Dubai. Following three signature baseball events over the last three years, Baseball United will now launch the first professional baseball season in the history of the region.
The season will feature the league's founding four franchises — the Mumbai Cobras, Karachi Monarchs, Arabia Wolves and Mid East Falcons. The teams will each play nine regular season games, facing each other three times each, followed by a best of three United Series from Dec. 12 to determine the league champion. Overall, 21 games will be played over 30 days.
'Our team has worked so hard, for so long, to make this news official,' said Kash Shaikh, Baseball United chairman, CEO and co-founder.
'We are so grateful for the support of our Dubai and UAE partners, our investors and all the fans around the world who've helped make BU the most well-known internationally based professional baseball league in the world. We've received all that support through several special events and big milestones since our launch in November of 2022. And now, we get to reward our fans with a full season. Everything starts small, but we believe this will be the beginning of a new chapter in baseball history.'
The season will begin with the Subcontinent Series from Nov. 14-16, with the Mumbai Cobras against the Karachi Monarchs. This will mark the first time Indian and Pakistani franchises have faced each other in baseball. The two countries — which between them have a population of some 1.8 billion — have one of the most passionate rivalries in all of sport. The highly anticipated India vs Pakistan cricket match in the ICC Champions Trophy last month garnered a record 600 million viewers — five times more than the Super Bowl.
The league will announce its official broadcast partners this summer, including television and digital streaming that will reach every country.
Baseball United's recent UAE Series event between the Arabia Wolves and Mid East Falcons was watched by 12 million unique viewers, including 3.3 million per game in Pakistan A Sports. The viewership numbers are more than any Major League Baseball regular season game played in the US last year.
With 2 billion people in the Middle East and South Asia — 1 billion of whom are cricket fans — Baseball United has a massive potential market.
Full rosters for the season will be announced later this spring. To date, 65 percent of Baseball United's players were originally drafted by MLB teams, including eight-time All-Star Robinson Cano, four-time Gold Glover Andrelton Simmons and three-time World Series Champion, Pablo Sandoval.
Karan Patel — the first player of Indian descent to be drafted by an MLB team and the number one pick by the Mumbai Cobras in the league's 2023 draft — will pitch for the Cobras, while former Atlanta Braves All-Star Jair Jurrjens will pitch for the Wolves. Each team will have 26 players.
Baseball United built its new ballpark at The Sevens sports and entertainment complex in Dubai in just 38 days last fall. Since then it has hosted the largest international amateur baseball tournament in the region's history, the Arab Classic, along with last month's UAE Series.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Arab News
15 hours ago
- Arab News
Baseball United and Tokyo Broadcasting System launch reality show to find Japan's next baseball stars
DUBAI: A partnership between Baseball United, the first professional baseball league focused on the Middle East and South Asia, and leading Japanese broadcaster Tokyo Broadcast System will give young baseball players a shot at becoming professional stars. The reality show, 'Tryout: Plan D,' will feature hundreds of hopefuls competing for two roster spots on the Mid East Falcons, one of Baseball United's founding franchises. The winners will play for the Falcons during the inaugural season in Dubai, which begins on Nov. 14. Participants will compete in several stages of the competition, starting in July and ending in November. Ultimately, one pitcher and one batter will be selected after a series of intense challenges measuring skill, mental toughness, physical fitness and passion for the game. The partnership will be anchored by TBS's long running and widely respected show, バース・デイ('Birthday'), a documentary series that has chronicled the triumphs and struggles of athletes across Japan for the last 20 years. Airing on Friday nights, it explores its subjects' personal transformations and emotional journeys. 'Tryout' will bring to life a compelling mix of reality television, human interest and competitive action, while providing real opportunities for Japanese baseball prospects. 'Japan is one of the greatest baseball nations in the world,' said Kash Shaikh, chairman, CEO and co-founder of Baseball United. 'Baseball is engrained into the culture, history and future of this country. And we know there are a lot of talented players that just need an opportunity to showcase their ability. 'Tryout' is more than just a competition — it's a celebration of culture, a catalyst of opportunity and a testament (to) resilience. We are honored to collaborate with TBS and the legendary 'Birthday' team to bring this vision to life.' Tryout will begin airing on TBS in July, with behind-the-scenes content and exclusive footage shared across Baseball United's global channels. The two winners will be officially introduced as members of the Mid East Falcons before the team's game against the Karachi Monarchs on Wednesday, Nov. 19. 'Our program バース・デイ has always sought to showcase the untold stories behind athletic greatness,' said show producer Hidemitsu Takahashi. 'Partnering with Baseball United allows us to elevate that mission by offering young Japanese players the opportunity of a lifetime — to transform their lives through sport, and to do so on a truly international platform. We can't wait to have our two winners take the field in Dubai.' Baseball United was co-founded by Shaikh, John Miedreich, and MLB Hall of Famers Barry Larkin and Mariano Rivera in November 2022. Its ownership group now includes 20 MLB legends, including Hall of Famer Adrian Beltre and stars Felix Hernandez, Ryan Howard, Albert Pujols, Ronald Acuna Jr., Robinson Chirinos, and Matt Barnes. The league currently has four franchises, the Mumbai Cobras, Karachi Monarchs, Arabia Wolves and Mid East Falcons, who will all compete in the league's first season from Nov. 14-Dec. 14. All games will be played at Baseball United Ballpark in Dubai.
Leaders
5 days ago
- Leaders
Pakistan PM Visits Saudi Arabia: Eid Celebrations & Strategic Talks
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif arrived in Saudi Arabia on Thursday for a crucial two-day official visit. He accepted Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's invitation to strengthen vital bilateral relations between the longstanding allies. The Prime Minister's Office confirmed his arrival and the visit's objectives earlier today. During his stay, PM Sharif will celebrate Eid Al-Adha within the Kingdom. He will hold substantive bilateral talks with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Discussions will prioritize boosting mutual cooperation in vital trade and investment sectors. Regional security matters will also feature prominently on their shared agenda. The two leaders will explore avenues to further strengthen multifaceted bilateral ties. Enhancing economic partnerships and investment flows remains a top priority. They will also address Muslim Ummah welfare and regional peace initiatives. Acknowledging Mediation & Boosting Economic Partnership PM Sharif will express Pakistan's sincere gratitude for Saudi Arabia's recent diplomatic intervention. The Kingdom played a pivotal role in de-escalating tensions between Pakistan and India. Gulf partners supported this crucial mediation effort between the nuclear neighbors last month. This high-level visit underscores rapidly expanding Saudi-Pakistan economic links. Both nations signed multiple significant trade and investment agreements recently. Saudi Arabia committed a substantial $5 billion investment package supporting Pakistan's economy. Saudi and Pakistani businesses signed 34 MoUs worth $2.8 billion last year. These agreements cover industry, technology, and agriculture sectors importantly. Manara Minerals is also negotiating to acquire a stake in Pakistan's massive Reko Diq project. Enduring Bonds: Defense & Vital Diaspora Links Defense collaboration remains a cornerstone of the robust Saudi-Pakistan relationship. The nations share a deep history of military cooperation and mutual support. Pakistan also provides valuable training assistance to Saudi forces. Approximately 2.7 million Pakistanis form a crucial diaspora within Saudi Arabia. Their remittances provide the highest foreign exchange inflow for Pakistan. This financial support constitutes an essential economic lifeline for their homeland. Short link : Post Views: 11
Saudi Gazette
6 days ago
- Saudi Gazette
Eleven die in India crush as fans gather for IPL victory parade
BENGALURU — Eleven people have been killed and dozens injured in a crush outside a cricket stadium in Bengaluru, which was hosting a victory parade to celebrate the home team's Indian Premier League win, the state's chief minister said. Thousands of people had lined the streets on Wednesday to welcome the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) who beat the Punjab Kings in the IPL cricket final the day before. Karnataka state Chief Minister Siddaramaiah told reporters that authorities had not expected the number of people who had turned out. One police official told the BBC more than 200,000 people came out for the victory parade but they had anticipated only half that amount. When the tragedy struck, the gates of the stadium "were not even opened, but there were so many people trying to push through a small gate that the stampede took place", an official said. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the "mishap in Bengaluru is heartrending" adding that his "thoughts are with all those who have lost their loved ones".State Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said he was "deeply shocked by the tragic loss of lives"."A moment of joy has been eclipsed by sorrow," he RCB team had arrived by a special flight at the old HAL airport to be received by Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar. They were taken in a procession to the was a precursor for the reception on the steps of the majestic Vidhana Soudha, seat of the state legislature, where Governor Thawarchand Gehlot, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and other ministers met the team was then scheduled to drive, again, in a procession to the stadium before the crush team, however, reached the stadium for a brief reception where cricket legend Virat Kohli spoke. "There was a huge crowd inside," one eyewitness, who did not want to share his name, told BBC to the incident, masses of people from different parts of the city had moved towards the stadium on all modes of transport wearing RCB trains were so packed that several people - including this reporter - were not able to enter any compartment. All this while passengers inside the train and outside chanted the team's name in rickshaws and taxis did not respond to requests from people who wanted to be dropped anywhere near the stadium. Those who agreed dropped commuters several kilometres reports of people losing their lives in the crush spread, people started rushing away to metro shut down the stations around the stadium as huge crowds had gathered on the platforms. — BBC
