President Fraccari: Baseball Champions League - A new era begins for international baseball

The brand new Baseball Champions League (BCL) Americas, which is set to begin in Merida, Mexico, will be an historic event for the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) and an exciting moment for international baseball said WBSC President Riccardo Fraccari.

Speaking ahead of the historic tournament, which starts on Thursday, President Fraccari said the BCL is "the start of a new era for our sport, a new beginning for clubs, leagues, players and fans across the world".

“The WBSC is proud of its role to guide, serve and help grow and build the game for the future,” he added. “We believe that the introduction of the Champions League will do all of that and more.”

The event in Merida will be the first-ever professional and international baseball competition for clubs, and will provide players with an unprecedented opportunity and one which is sure to capture the imagination of fans in Mexico and across the world.

“Our strong partnership with the Liga Mexicana de Béisbol has been instrumental in the organisation of this tournament, and I must thank them for their continued co-operation and friendship,” added Fraccari. “I know that the Baseball Champions League will excite baseball fans around the world. You are some of the most loyal and dedicated fans in sports.”

The Baseball Champions League is a new concept for baseball, it’s an international tournament of champions with teams around the world representing their club, their city and their fans on the world stage. The first BCL Americas, with the champion teams of four leagues in the Americas, is an example of what’s to come on the other continents and leagues in the future as part of a global Baseball Champions League.

The 2023 Baseball Champions League Americas is an invitational event but in the future the event will move towards a league format and include other continents to create a global BCL. Once all regional BCLs are in place, the BCL Finals will feature the winners of each Regional BCL.