Baseball United, a pioneering organization that aimed to make history in the sporting world, made an exciting announcement on Monday. They proudly introduced their first franchise, the Mumbai Cobras, as part of the groundbreaking initiative to establish the Middle East and South Asia’s inaugural professional baseball league.
The Mumbai Cobras are just the first of four teams that Baseball United plans to unveil in the coming weeks. Based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, the organization is eagerly preparing to host a captivating showcase tournament at the renowned Dubai International Stadium in November. This tournament, scheduled precisely one year after the establishment of Baseball United, symbolizes the remarkable progress and unwavering dedication the organization has shown towards fostering the growth of baseball in the region.
Baseball United boasts an impressive player pool, consisting of over 200 players from more than 30 countries. Out of these talented individuals, a total of 64 players will be selected to join the teams. The remaining players will have the opportunity to be drafted, as Baseball United gears up for its inaugural season set to kick off in the fall of 2024. While Baseball United has yet to announce any specific names, they have confirmed that several players from the United States will be part of the league.
Kash Shaikh, the President and CEO of Baseball United, expressed his enthusiasm during the digital announcement, highlighting the rich history and captivating allure of Major League Baseball, which has yet to be exported to this part of the world. Recognizing the dominance of cricket, another popular bat-and-ball sport in the region, Shaikh revealed that Baseball United would introduce unique rule differences and innovative elements to appeal to cricket enthusiasts and broaden the sport’s appeal.
Cricket, with its massive following of approximately one billion fans in South Asian countries, poses a formidable challenge to baseball’s growth. The Indian Premier League (IPL), a short and exhilarating format of cricket, gained immense popularity in India since its inception in 2008, with broadcasting rights alone valued at over $6 billion.
While cricket and soccer maintain their stronghold as dominant sports in the Middle East and South Asia, there have been notable successes for other sports in the region. In 2020, the United Arab Emirates hosted the first-ever National Basketball Association (NBA) games in the Middle East, featuring the Milwaukee Bucks and Atlanta Hawks. Additionally, the region has become a prominent destination for various motorsports events, including Formula 1 races held in Bahrain, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia.
Baseball United’s ambitious endeavor to establish a professional baseball league in the Middle East and South Asia signifies a significant milestone in the region’s sports landscape. With the announcement of the Mumbai Cobras and the upcoming showcase tournament, Baseball United is poised to ignite a new era of sporting excitement and create a lasting legacy for baseball enthusiasts in the region.