Baseball United, the first-ever professional baseball league focused on the Middle East and Indian Subcontinent, revealed today the official names and branding of its Dubai and Abu Dhabi franchises. The Dubai franchise will be called the Dubai Wolves, and the Abu Dhabi franchise will be called the Abu Dhabi Falcons. These two teams are the first-ever professional baseball franchises in the history of the GCC region. They will compete against the Mumbai Cobras and the Karachi Monarchs in the league’s Dubai Showcase this November at Dubai International Stadium.
The Dubai Wolves brand marks center on the iconic Dubai “D”, as well as a wolf visage that pays homage to the Arabian Wolf that once roamed the Liwa Desert in vast numbers. The Wolves name honors Dubai’s adaptation from vast, empty desert, to thriving, urban metropolis. Guarding its history while guiding its growth, the symbolism of the wolf speaks to how far Dubai has come, in such a short time.
The Abu Dhabi brand marks include 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 history and heritage of Abu Dhabi - the nation’s capital - and captures the city’s inspiring combinations: strength and beauty, vision and tradition, gravity and grace.
“This is a historic day for our organization, for baseball, and for the UAE,” said Kash Shaikh, President, CEO, Chairman of the Board, 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.”
These new franchises are announced on the heels of Baseball United’s historic partnership with the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB), which awarded Baseball United a 15-year term to host its league in the UAE, as well as gave the league rights to both the Dubai and Abu Dhabi franchises. This agreement marked the first time in history any international organization has received such sanctions. Baseball United will be working closely with the ECB to bring the worlds of 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 Baseball Operations, Vice Chairman of the Board, and Co-Owner, 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 U.S.-based creative agency, BSB International, on the brand development and design for each franchise. The Dubai colors will be red, white, and black. Abu Dhabi’s colors are white, gray, and teal.
The franchises were initially revealed at an invite-only media and dignitary event earlier today at Dubai International Stadium. In addition to press, organizations represented at the launch include the United States Consulate of Dubai, the Embassy of the Commonwealth of Dominica to the UAE, the Emirates Cricket Board, 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.”
