Does anyone have any info about this new Australian baseball league?

**cutchemist42** · 12-26-2006, 12:08 AM

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_Baseball_League

"New Australian Baseball League for 2007
A new Australian Baseball League will commence in November 2007, the Australian Baseball Federation in conjunction with Major League Baseball plan to commence a new National Baseball League in November 2007[1]. The league will be initially made up of 6 teams from around Australia with one from each of the main land states and the Australian Provincial team being based in Canberra[2]. Each team in the new league will align itself with a Major League Club, in a similar set up as the now defunct league.

The initial season will commence in November 2007 and finish in February 2008, before extending to a 6 month season in the second year[3]. Fox Sports has expressed its interest in televising the new league[citation needed]."

Just curious about any new infro, is this going to become a pro league, semi-pro league? Is it considered a minor league for MLB?

Yankeebiscuitfan · 12-26-2006, 01:06 PM

So when is MLB helping the Dutch leagues out?

We could use some help overhere as well.

**brewcrew82** · 12-27-2006, 08:22 AM

Originally Posted by cutchemist42

Just curious about any new infro, is this going to become a pro league, semi-pro league? Is it considered a minor league for MLB?

Dare I say it will be similar to the old league in which each team will get a certain number of imports from the affiliated ML club (it used to be four, so I'd guess it will be similar this time around). Given the description I'll let you decide whether it is an MLB minor league (considering that in all likelyhood the Australians playing in it will NOT be under contract to a Major League team).

It was a semi-pro league last time around so again, without having any inside knowledge I'd say it'll be similar again this time around.

**snowy73** · 01-03-2007, 09:10 PM

There are very few details being made public on the new Australian Baseball League. From what I have heard on a radio program Baseball Victoria podcast www.baseballvictoria.com.au, it will be an Australian summer league with US players taking part probably minor league guys.

MLB will have a big say in the financing and structure to prevent the league going broke as it did a few years ago after operating very well for 10 years.

It will provide Australian professional players a winter league of the highest standard in Australia and a development basis for a lot of the young guys who have been signed to pro deals but not started in the US yet.

From an Australian point of view it is being looked forward to greatly but the administration will have to get it right because there is a lot of other sports fighting for crowds with a relatively small population to attend lots of events. I understand why they are trying to get Fox pay TV on side for financial reasons, but free to air coverage would be a bonus for the competition as not that many people in Australia have pay TV.

Fingers crossed the whole competition gets going and becomes very strong here.

Dave
Sydney Australia

**cutchemist42** · 01-04-2007, 08:57 AM

Well that was very informative, thanks alot. I really hope it goes well.

Also for yankeebiscuitfan, I was wondering on what you think MLB should do to help baseball there.

**brewcrew82** · 02-03-2007, 01:34 AM

After getting in contact with someone quite close to the organisational side of baseball in Australia, he mentioned that he would "believe it when he see's it". They have been mentioning for many years that they are starting a new league at the end of the year (which turns into next year, the year after and so on).

I hope it goes ahead this year but after hearing that I will take the advice and believe it when I see it.

**cutchemist42** · 02-03-2007, 04:10 PM

Is that how it is in Australia really? That sucks!

**DownUnderDodger** · 02-14-2007, 08:10 PM

I cannot find anything on the Australian Baseball Federation website about this new League. I looked at their calendar for November 2007 and it is blank! I did a search using "Australian Baseball League " and came up with a blank as well. Also nothing in the Baseball Victoria website. Seems any such competition is either someone's pipe dream or is very hush hush. I would have to go along with brewcrew82.....believe it when I see it!

They have announced that Illawarra Baseball Association will host the 2007 Australian Provincial Championship. April 7-14. (Illawarra is a region just to the south of Sydney). I note that Victoria beat NSW in the final of the Claxton Shield 4-3!!

**brewcrew82** · 06-30-2007, 01:14 AM

The ABL entry on wikipedia now reads 2008 as the possible start date.

**cutchemist42** · 08-21-2007, 08:28 PM

So just found this snippet in an MLB.com article.

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?...=.jsp&c_id=mlb

Japan and the Red Sox are interesting because of Matsuzaka," said Archey, who also lists Australia -- with its burgeoning professional baseball league-- as an outside possibility for an Opening Day site. "But the Chinese have been meeting with Olympic officials and the group that controls the facility, as well."

Just wondering how big are Australia's baseball stadiums from the last Olympics? Also, is this a mention to the league coming up in 2008?

**NewEnglandAmazins** · 08-24-2007, 07:06 AM

Thought some of you guys would find this interesting:

http://www.baseball.com.au/default.asp?Page=37821

**DownUnderDodger** · 08-27-2007, 03:37 PM

Thanks for the link NewEnglandAmazins. I did read a brief note in our newspaper about this but it was just a small paragraph so I was not aware of the details and have not had time to look it up.

The Claxton Shield, first contested in 1934, remains the pinnacle event for Australian players with as many as 60 current US professionals expected to compete in the 2008 competition

If the Aussie professionals playing major league in USA & Japan are all available to play it will make for a terrific competition. It will certainly be worth a trip to Sydney for a look.

**drd** · 08-30-2007, 02:12 AM

To be frank an Australian professional league will always struggle financially. We have pro leagues in so many sports here Australian Rules Football, Rugby League, Rugby Union, Basketball (Mens and Womens), Netball, Cricket, Soccer and more, as well as semi pro in all of these and more.....but we only have a population of 20 Million people. So like some of the other comments, I will believe in its resurrection when I see it.

**Baseball Mum** · 09-23-2007, 02:03 AM

Originally Posted by DownUnderDodger

They have announced that Illawarra Baseball Association will host the 2007 Australian Provincial Championship. April 7-14. (Illawarra is a region just to the south of Sydney). I note that Victoria beat NSW in the final of the Claxton Shield 4-3!!

Yes - time to get the flag back for NSW!!! DownUnderDodger, Illawarra are also hosting the Women's National Tournament. It'll be worth the trip down south the week after Easter to watch the final. They are exciting games. The women's seems to be going the way of the Claxton Shield. NSW won both in 2006 against Vic, and this year between the same teams, the decision was reversed in both cases.

The Olympic Stadium is still in use, and the permanent format has seating for 1200. I know that's tiny compared to what you are used to in the States, but for us it only gets full at Claxton Shield finals time.

The sport is certainly growing in this country, and skill level is going up all the time, but we've got a long way to go before people will pay to come and watch on a regular basis. As drd said, we would struggle with our population of 20 million.

**DownUnderDodger** · 09-26-2007, 10:30 PM

I read recently that the Aussie team is playing a couple of games against Japan later this year. that will be worth seeing, but we probably won't get the opportunity.

**DownUnderDodger** · 09-30-2007, 09:36 PM

Here is the draw for our Claxton Shield, interstate baseball series:

http://www.users.bigpond.com/goreds/CLAXT08/Fixt08.pdf

and an article about the 'new look' competition:

http://www.users.bigpond.com/goreds/...8/CLAXNEWS.htm

And a little about the forthcoming trip to Japan:

http://www.baseball.com.au/?page=38596

**USA09** · 10-01-2007, 06:49 AM

If this Aussie-Japan series is played with Major Leaguers it will be a great showcase for international baseball in WBC off years.

**cutchemist42** · 10-01-2007, 07:37 AM

Well it sounds like Australia's MLB system players will on their team, and it sounds like NPB's best will be there, but I wonder if players like Ichiro and the other Japanese MLBers will play in this. They do say this will be the strongest Japanese side ever.

tom* · 10-11-2007, 06:24 PM

not exactly on topic but its Australia related...

The Canadian National Side are playing a 4 game series in Perth early November as a warm up for the world cup - which is very exciting!
http://www.wa.baseball.com.au/?Page=39096

does anyone know if the MLB Canadian players go to the world cup or do they select minor leaguers in the same style as the US team?

being a twins fan living a 20 hour flight away from the Dome, it would be awesome is Morneau decided to play...although I am not getting my hopes up.

**Bobby25** · 10-12-2007, 05:54 AM

The aussie league will always struggle because of the time of it, you will never get the all the pro guys to play it in simple because they all want a break after a long season in either the usa or asia.

It will be pretty much just a claxton shield type event with mainly club ball players. It might open some doors for the younger guys like the ABL but I dont see it being a huge success just because of the logistics side of it also.

**USA09** · 11-18-2007, 08:17 PM

Any word on the rosters for the Australia-Japan games coming up?

**Unit312J** · 12-06-2007, 10:26 PM

In talking to some of the Aussies at the World Cup in Taiwan I can tell you that there isn't a league going on this year. He said it was going to start next year, and that they are supposed to have assistance or some backing from MLB or MILB, but it won't be like th Hawiian Winter League like that. He was saying that it is supposed to be more legit than the old Australian Baseball League, but I don't have much more info than that. I do know that they only play on weekends, and that's going to be the same as it had been in the past.

If I hear more I'll keep you posted. I have some contact with a few Aussies.

**NewEnglandAmazins** · 12-27-2007, 12:06 PM

Hopefully this new format will help jumpstart the new ABL.
Schedule:
http://www.baseball.com.au/?Page=384...F20355%2F0%2F0

**NewEnglandAmazins** · 01-12-2008, 11:31 AM

Current standings

**Agente Libre** · 01-12-2008, 03:33 PM

Does anyone know if Mike Young, the former Australian national team coach, is involved in this new league or Australian baseball in general? I haven't heard his name in a few years. Thanks.