DUBAI: Baseball United, the first-ever professional league of the sport focused on the Middle East and Indian subcontinent, on Thursday revealed the names and branding of its Dubai and Abu Dhabi franchises.
The Dubai Wolves and Abu Dhabi Falcons are the first professional baseball franchises in the history of the GCC region, and will compete against the Mumbai Cobras and Karachi Monarchs in the league’s Dubai Showcase later this year.
The four-game event will take place at Dubai International Stadium from Nov. 10 to 12, and will kick off with a matchup between the Indian and Pakistani teams, while the UAE franchises will close out the showcase.
The Dubai Wolves’ brand pays homage to the Arabian Wolf that once roamed the Liwa Desert in vast numbers, and honors Dubai’s transformation into a thriving, urban metropolis, the organization stated.
The Abu Dhabi logo includes a stylized “AD” monogram, as well as the profile view of a peregrine falcon, the national bird of the UAE. The Falcons’ name speaks to the compelling history and heritage of the nation’s capital.
“This is a historic day for our organization, for baseball, and for the UAE,” said Kash Shaikh, president, CEO, board chairman and majority owner of Baseball United. “We are so grateful and proud of these two milestone franchises that we now get to share with our fans across the UAE. The Dubai Wolves and Abu Dhabi Falcons will be iconic brands that inspire millions of people here in this great nation, and all across the world.”
The announcement of the two new franchises comes shortly after Baseball United’s historic partnership with the Emirates Cricket Board, which awarded Shaikh’s organization a 15-year term to host its league in the UAE, and the rights to the Dubai and Abu Dhabi franchises.
Baseball United will be working with the ECB to bring bat-and-ball sports together in two of the world’s most sports-focused cities, Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
“The partnerships that we continue to forge here in the UAE have given us the momentum and support necessary to build this league the right way,” said John Miedreich, executive vice president of operations, vice chairman of the board, and co-owner of Baseball United. “We are grateful to all the people and organizations who have joined us on this pursuit, and we’re looking forward to even more partners teaming with us in the future.”
Baseball United partnered with US-based creative agency, BSB International, on the brand development and design for each franchise.
The Dubai colors will be red, white and black while Abu Dhabi’s colors are white, gray and teal.
Those who attended the press event at Dubai International Stadium included representatives from the US’ Dubai consulate, embassy of Dominica, the ECB, and Dubai Sports City.
“We started this journey nearly two years ago,” said Shaikh. “The barriers to entry were incredibly challenging. The difficulty level is high. And this dream of ours will most definitely not be easy. But today was one of those magical reminders that if we keep believing, keep building, and keep our focus on our current and future fans, we can help make baseball the region’s next great sport.”
