Baseball United reveals new dates and format for Dubai showcase

Baseball United, the first-ever professional baseball league focused on the Middle East and Indian Subcontinent, has announced new dates and an evolved approach for its inaugural Dubai Showcase event.

The Showcase will now feature two Baseball United All-Star teams playing a two-game series on November 24 and 25, recognised as Thanksgiving weekend in the United States.

It will celebrate Baseball United’s core value of unity and will be preceded by a weeklong calendar of community events. The two teams will be called the Baseball United East All-Stars and Baseball United West All-Stars and will include 22 professional players and three prospects per team.

Of the 44 total professional players, at least 75 per cent will have Major League Baseball experience.

Baseball United’s inaugural draft will now be held virtually on Monday, October 23, with All-Star rosters announced on Wednesday, October 25. The Showcase will take place at Dubai International Stadium.

"Instead of focusing on the sports rivalries that will excite our fans in the future, we wanted to hero the unity that has ignited our league since its inception. And what better way to do that than spending Thanksgiving weekend here in the UAE, watching our league’s best stars from a dozen different countries all playing with the words ‘United’ across their chests," said Kash Shaikh, CEO, Chairman, and Majority Owner, Baseball United.

"We fully support Baseball United’s decision to evolve the dates and format of their Showcase event. Together, we’re looking forward to hosting fans from across the world at Dubai International Stadium for this premier event," added Mubashshir Usmani, General Secretary, Emirates Cricket Board.

Tickets for the Baseball United All-Star Showcase will go on sale Thursday, October 19, with special early bird pricing in place for the first seven days.