The independent Continental Baseball League announced a lineup of eight teams for 2009, with four United League Baseball teams joining the circuit.The independent Continental Baseball League announced a lineup of eight teams for 2009, with four United League Baseball teams joining the circuit.
United League teams in the Texas cities of Amarillo, Laredo, San Angelo and Edinburg will be joining returning CBL franchises in Bay Area (Texas City) and Texarkana, plus two new CBL franchises in Dallas and Alexandria, LA for the coming season. Edinburg is subject to procuring sufficient local investor participation by February 28.
The new Dallas franchise will be nicknamed the Aviators and play in nearby McKinney, where the McKinney Blue Thunder operated last season. The Bay Area Toros return for their third season and are the defending league champions.
“This offers our league a great opportunity to expose our brand of baseball to many more cities in the southwest area, and we feel the citizens of those areas will enjoy our family first, cost-effective brand of professional baseball,” said CBL commissioner and CEO Ron Baron. “I truly feel that these new cities will be involved in our league for years to come and help take us to a new level of play and excitement.”
“When Ron and I first started talking about starting a professional baseball league where families and youngsters came first, and where it wouldn’t cost you an arm and a leg to see a solid brand of pro ball, we envisioned being able to expand to 8 teams within three seasons,” said Bob Ibach, director of league operations. “Adding on these new teams for the coming season, in some really savvy baseball markets, is certainly an exciting time for all of us and I am looking forward to a very competitive and rewarding season in 2009.”
The only United League city not part of the CBL is Harlingen.
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