Template:Use mdy Template:Infobox sports league Baseball United is a professional baseball organization in West Asia and South Asia. It began with two showcase games in Dubai in November 2023.[1] The winter league's first season with four teams representing cities in India, Pakistan, and the United Arab Emirates completed 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.[3] 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 but eventually team was not formed[18] On August 1, 2024, the league announced that its first full season is scheduled from October 23, 2025 to November 23, 2025. The four 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 to March 1, 2025. The cup had a round robin format, followed by a four-team playoff.[2] Baseball United also announced it would organize the Baseball United Arab Classic, an international baseball tournament between various West Asian teams, scheduled for November 7 to November 10, 2024 in Dubai.[19][20]
The inaugural season of Baseball United involving the four founding franchises was held in November to December 2025, with the Falcons winning the first United Series championship.[21][22]
The league announced on February 18, 2026 that CEO Kash Shaikh would step down at the end of the month.[23] It later announced that John Miedreich, co-founder and head of baseball operations, would take his place as CEO, while the board would be restructured to include owners Barry Larkin as chairman and Adrián Beltré and Robinson Chirinos as vice chairs.[24]
Teams
.jpg){kind=link}
There are five teams (representing cities from various Asian countries) affliated with Baseball United.[2][25] The four founding franchises competed in the inaugural 2025 season.
| Team | City | Country | Joined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mumbai Cobras | Mumbai | Template:Flagicon India | 2023 |
| Karachi Monarchs | Karachi | Template:Flagicon Pakistan | |
| Arabia Wolves | Dubai | Template:Flagicon United Arab Emirates | |
| Mid East Falcons | Abu Dhabi |
Venue
The 6,500 seater Baseball United Ballpark at The Sevens in Dubai serves as the venue of the league.
Rule changes
Template:See also Baseball United has implemented various rule changes from traditional baseball, most notably the "moneyball", which allows the batting team to score double the amount of runs batted in during a single play, providing that the "moneyball" was used during the at-bat. During the Baseball United All-Star Showcase in November 2023, Pablo Sandoval hit the first "six-run home run" in baseball history during a "moneyball" at bat, after he hit what would normally be a three-run homer off of Indian pitching prospect Saurabh Gaikwad, scoring Dillon Thomas and Andrelton Simmons.[26][27][28] Some commentators have floated the "moneyball" as a potential rule change for Major League Baseball, while others have criticized it and dismissed it as a "gimmick."[29][30]
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.[31][32]
See also
References
- ↑ 2023 All-Star Showcase. Baseball United. Retrieved 2024-08-09.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Template:Cite press release
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 New baseball league announces Dubai International Stadium as official venue for inaugural showcase(Aug 18, 2022). Retrieved June 5, 2023.
- ↑ Baseball Hall of Famers Barry Larkin, Mariano Rivera take on larger role with "Baseball United". FanSided(Nov 5, 2022). Retrieved June 5, 2023.
- ↑ Baseball United grows the game in Pakistan as West Asia Cup takes place. Insider Sport(Jan 30, 2023). Retrieved June 5, 2023.
- ↑ 2-time MLB All-Star Elvis Andrus joins Baseball United ownership group(April 17, 2023). Retrieved June 5, 2023.
- ↑ About. Baseball United. Retrieved 2024-08-09.
- ↑ Template:Cite press release
- ↑ Dubai-based professional baseball league announces first franchise, Mumbai Cobras. Associated Press News(May 15, 2023). Retrieved June 5, 2023.
- ↑ Former MLB All-Star Chris Sabo named manager of Baseball United's first franchise(May 24, 2023). Retrieved June 7, 2023.
- ↑ Baseball United names Karachi Monarchs as its second franchise(May 30, 2023). Retrieved June 5, 2023.
- ↑ Dubai-based baseball league announces Karachi Monarchs, Pakistan's first professional team(May 30, 2023). Retrieved June 5, 2023.
- ↑ Adrián Beltré nombra a Miguel Tejada mánager en Pakistán(June 5, 2023). Retrieved June 5, 2023.
- ↑ Baseball United announces Dubai Wolves and Abu Dhabi Falcons as its latest two franchises. Arab News(2023-08-04). Retrieved 2023-08-05.
- ↑ Template:Cite press release
- ↑ Karan Patel College, Minor & Independent Leagues Statistics. Baseball Reference. Retrieved 2024-08-09.
- ↑ Robinson Canó, Bartolo Colon Among Former MLB Players Drafted to New League in Dubai. Fastball(23 October 2023). Retrieved 23 October 2023.
- ↑ Template:Cite press release
- ↑ Schedule of 2024 Baseball United Arab Classic unveiled(10 October 2024).
- ↑ Baseball United charting a course for professionalism in the region, says Kash Shaikh(30 August 2024). Retrieved 12 October 2024.
- ↑ Baseball United chief Kash Shaikh 'proud' as standouts join Arabia Wolves roster. Arab News PK(30 September 2025). Retrieved 30 September 2025.
- ↑ Template:Cite press release
- ↑ ‘Honor of a lifetime’: Kash Shaikh to step down as chairman and CEO of Baseball United(18 February 2026). Retrieved 18 March 2026.
- ↑ Baseball United announces new leadership structure(17 March 2026). Retrieved 18 March 2026.
- ↑ Baseball United Announces Dubai Wolves And Abu Dhabi Falcons As Its Latest Two Franchises. menafn.com(August 4, 2023). Retrieved 2023-08-05.
- ↑ Pablo Sandoval's 6-Run Home Run Highlights Wild Action in Dubai's Baseball United, Connon, Sam. Fastball(2023-11-25). Retrieved 2024-02-21.
- ↑ Template:Cite press release
- ↑ Former SF Giants fan favorite hits world's first six-run home run. On SI(29 November 2023). Retrieved 9 September 2025.
- ↑ There Will Be No Golden At-Bat, But What Other Rules Could MLB Consider?(11 December 2024). Retrieved 9 September 2025.
- ↑ Template:Cite tweet
- ↑ Sportswashing and The UAE's Baseball United League, Russ, Maxwell. Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment Law Blog. Retrieved 2024-08-09.
- ↑ Effectively Wild Episode 2086: Eyewash, Greenwash, Sportswash, Tell 'im Wash, Linbergh, Ben. FanGraphs(November 17, 2023). Retrieved August 9, 2024.
Template:Baseball United Template:Baseball leagues Template:Professional Baseball Template:Sports leagues of India Template:Emirati Sport leagues