In recent years, interest in sports has dramatically increased in the Middle East.
Countries such as Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, and others have hosted important competitions in soccer, motor racing, boxing, tennis, and a myriad of other disciplines.
They have been luring star-level players to their leagues as part of an ambitious project.
Baseball is about to join the list, too.
“A new professional baseball league in Dubai had its first ever draft today Bartolo Colon, Robinson Cano, Pablo Sandoval and Didi Gregorius were among the players selected (via @BaseballUnited)” Jomboy Media tweeted.
A new professional baseball league in Dubai had its first ever draft today
Bartolo Colon, Robinson Cano, Pablo Sandoval and Didi Gregorius were among the players selected
(via @BaseballUnited) pic.twitter.com/RHGtjZMrcE
— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) October 23, 2023
The name of the league is Baseball United and it will have teams in three countries: India, Pakistan, and the United Arab Emirates.
There will be two squads from the UAE: the Abu Dhabi Falcons and the Dubai Wolves.
The Karachi Monarchs will represent Pakistan, and the Mumbai Cobras will represent India.
All of them will likely have a few players with MLB experience.
There will be an inaugural showcase, a two-game series between two Baseball United teams on November 24 and 25: the Thanksgiving weekend in America.
Much like they have recently done in soccer and other sports, the authorities at Baseball United want to attract global stars such as Colon, Cano, Sandoval and Gregorius to increase the level of competition and help the league grow.
The rosters for the inaugural showcase will be revealed on Wednesday.
The game, as the World Baseball Classic showed us in the spring, is rapidly growing around the globe.
Its popularity has reached big markets now, as new leagues and circuits have been appearing in recent months.
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