Baseball United, the first professional baseball league focused on the Middle East and South Asia, announced today its plans to launch its merchandise business in partnership with GO Sport, one of the region’s top sporting goods retailers. The two companies will team up to offer a full range of professional baseball apparel – including caps, jerseys, and t-shirts – for the first time in the history of the UAE.
The merchandise will include both lifestyle and on-field collections featuring all four of Baseball United’s inaugural franchises, the Mumbai Cobras, Karachi Monarchs, Mid East Falcons, and Arabia Wolves, as well as official Baseball United branded items. All Baseball United apparel will be available in The Galleria Mall (Abu Dhabi), the Mall of the Emirates (Dubai), and Dubai Mall – the world’s largest mall and the most visited place on earth. More than 100 million people visited Dubai Mall in 2023.
The new baseball apparel will be displayed at the front of the store, with all merchandise manufactured by Baseball United’s Official Apparel Partner, Arrieta. Arrieta is one of the largest professional baseball apparel and uniform suppliers in the world.
Product will begin hitting shelves on November 3rd.
“This is another landmark moment for baseball in this region,” said Kash Shaikh, Chairman, CEO, and Co-Founder, Baseball United. “When we began this journey three years ago, I often visited retailers across the UAE and lamented the fact that baseball apparel and gear was nowhere to be found. I dreamed that we could change that one day. Now, thanks to a shared vision with our partners at GO Sport and the tireless work by our own Baseball United team, that dream has come to life. I’m so excited for our current and budding baseball fans, and can’t wait for them to begin repping the teams they love.”
While Baseball United’s core business remains focused on delivering professional and international baseball events, merchandise sales are projected as a meaningful revenue stream. Broader merchandise distribution will also help expand the organization’s marketing efforts, driving targeted awareness and enhanced loyalty for the league and its franchises. According to a 2024 YouGov study, merchandise accounts for roughly 25% of Major League Baseball’s total revenue, with one out of every five fans purchasing official merchandise every season.
Baseball United and GO Sport will also partner to sell officially-licensed merchandise at Baseball United’s new ballpark at The Sevens sports and entertainment complex – the first professional baseball field in the history of the Middle East and South Asia. Merchandise will be available for purchase at all Baseball United events, including the upcoming Arab Classic national baseball team tournament taking place November 7th to 10th, 2024. Nine nations, including India, Pakistan, Palestine, and the UAE will take part in the tournament, with official national team merchandise available for each country.
Baseball United will commemorate this historic launch with a special event at GO Sport’s Dubai Mall location featuring three legendary Baseball United Co-Owners on Tuesday, November 5th, from 7pm to 8pm GST. Major League Baseball Hall of Famers Barry Larkin and Adrian Beltre, and All-Star, Elvis Andrus, will all be in attendance for a meet and greet with fans at the store. All three legends will sign autographs and take photos with the first 100 fans who arrive.
We are thrilled to announce our partnership with Baseball United as their official retail partner,” said Tom Foley, CEO of GO Sport. “ This collaboration marks a significant milestone not only for GO Sport but also for the growth of baseball in the Middle East and South Asia. We are committed to bringing high-quality merchandise to fans and supporting Baseball United’s vision of expanding the sport’s reach in these dynamic regions. Together, we aim to foster a passionate community of baseball enthusiasts and provide them with the products they love.”
GO Sport is a globally recognized sports retailer specializing in high-performance, multi-branded goods, operated by Al Mana. GO Sport caters to athletes of all levels offering a superior selection of performance-oriented products and equipment. It continues to expand its reach and impact in the sports retail industry.
“The best apparel brands in the world strive to gain distribution in great retailers,” said Shaikh. “So for us to be able to make this happen with the top sporting goods retailer in the country, at the top tourist destination in the world – it’s truly remarkable. We have a long way to go to ensure our products perform how we want them to, however, we are extremely grateful to Tom and the entire GO Sport team for entrusting us with this opportunity.”
