Middle East’s First Professional Baseball Park Set to Open in Dubai
Exciting developments are underway as plans have been unveiled for the Middle East’s inaugural professional baseball park. This state-of-the-art stadium, with a capacity of 6,500 spectators, will be nestled within The Sevens sports and entertainment complex located on Al-Ain Road in Dubai. This ballpark is poised to become the only professional baseball venue across an expansive stretch of more than 10,000 kilometers, encompassing regions from Morocco to India, Bangladesh, and several countries within Southwest Asia.
The initiative comes from the visionary team behind Baseball United, who are orchestrating three major tournaments in the emirate over the next year. Tentatively named the Baseball United Ballpark, the venue’s name will be finalized once naming rights negotiations conclude. The stadium will feature an advanced dual fiber, synthetic playing surface designed to withstand the intense heat of Dubai.
With a cutting-edge LED lighting system generating over 15 million lumens across eight towering structures and 94 total fixtures, the park will utilize the most sophisticated technology available to ensure high visibility of the baseball during games. Additionally, the stadium’s innovative, modular seating configuration will allow for flexibility in accommodating up to 6,500 fans comfortably.
The dimensions of the playing field have been meticulously modeled after the iconic Yankee Stadium, home of the New York Yankees, featuring left field at 318 feet, right field at 314 feet, and an impressive 408 feet to center field. This homage to baseball history is complemented by a traditional scoreboard, which will coexist with a modern LED content wall, blending the charm of 19th-century American baseball with contemporary technology.
Kash Shaikh, the chairman, CEO, and co-founder of Baseball United, expressed his enthusiasm for the purpose-built stadium, emphasizing its role in promoting the sport throughout the region. He stated, “Our league has brought together so many powerful ingredients to help make baseball the next great sport in the Middle East and South Asia. From our passionate fanbase and legendary co-owners to our world-class players and historic franchises, we’ve worked tirelessly to bring the best of baseball to Dubai. The only thing that was missing was a home to call our own.”
He further added, “We envisioned a true, purpose-built baseball ballpark that could serve as a launchpad for professional baseball in the region. It needed to be entrepreneurial and appropriately sized, combining new technology while paying homage to baseball’s rich 150-year tradition. Thanks to the dedicated efforts of our team and the shared vision of our incredible partners, we can finally turn that dream into a reality.”
The playing field within the stadium will be named after the legendary baseball hall-of-famer Barry Larkin, who is also a co-founder of Baseball United. In November of this year, an international baseball tournament featuring teams from the UAE, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, and Nepal is set to take place in Dubai. Following that, a cup competition will be held in February, showcasing former Major League Baseball stars paired with local talent, leading up to a full league season.
While the timeline for the stadium’s completion remains uncertain, stay tuned to Time Out Dubai for all the latest updates and details.
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