@@Major League Baseball

Really Swisher??? Cmon, man.

  • August 23, 2023


(Source)Twitter: “For the first time in history, Emirates Cricket has awarded sanctions to establish a professional baseball league in the United Arab Emirates. This 15-year agreement allows @BaseballUnited to host its league in the UAE and create baseball franchises in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.”

TLDR: This bullshit won’t work.

39 comments

  5. So the baseball version of what is happening to European soccer. Instant coffee sports.

  8. Remember what happened with LIV and the PGA? Do not underestimate the financial power the Saudi’s wield.

  11. If they’re going to throw $$$$ at players, they could draw interest internationally. I wonder if Dominican players from MLB teams would leave when they hit free agency. Especially if they have offers considerably higher than what they’d get from MLB clubs.

  13. I could be swayed.….all depends on the quality of bourbon they’ll serve at the stadium

  15. So basically everyone in the western hemisphere wouldn’t even be able to watch it due to time change?

  22. The professional talent pool of D1 and minor leaguers in america… it doesn’t matter. The amount of players who never got their chance when in theory, they could be a star is endless. Also, there are countless all stars coming and going each year, as well as a bunch of nobodies who *did* get an opportunity and became top talent

    This isn’t like soccer, and this isn’t like the PGA tour. If anything, they may even develop a large talent pool themselves, as cricket is their sport.

    The MLB isn’t based around stars, it’s based around a farm, unlike like those other leagues, bc it’s tougher to do so for many variables

  23. Just like soccer/football stars, I will lose respect for any player who chooses to sell out for the Saudis.

    You know, in a way I kind of appreciate these Saudi sports league offers because it’s a good litmus test on the character and ego of professional athletes. I either lose or gain a lot of respect for players depending on their decision.

  24. No one here (yet) seems really pissed off about this, but the vibe is definitely negative. Can someone explain to me, with rational thought instead of gut feelings, why this is bad? What’s wrong with another country half a world away having their own league? I mean, Japan has their own league and no one seems opposed to that. There are non-professional leagues in the US as well.

    I just don’t get why more baseball is a bad thing.

    I have a couple guesses but I want to hear folks out before I put words in anyone’s mouth.

  25. I bet their stadiums will be absolutely amazing though. With basically infinite money I bet they build something astonishingly elaborate.

  35. Baseball would never work in the Middle East. You need wayyyyy too many players you make a league work. Golf works because you need 48, and they already had soccer leagues before Ronaldo.

  37. I had a suspicion that with the partnership of NYFC and the Yankees, the UAE was trying to potentially buy the Yankees. I guess the Steinbrenners were interested in selling.

  38. Rich Saudis are trying their best to ruin sports, money can’t buy you taste. These endeavors are so sloppily put together and come out like garbage, just spending money to spend it.

Leave a Reply