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Frontier League Set to Become the National Association of Professional Baseball (NAPB) Beginning in the 2027 Season.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22 2026

Frontier League Set to Become the National Association of Professional Baseball (NAPB) Beginning in the 2027 Season.

The Longest Running MLB Partner League in North America Adopts Historic Moniker to Signal a New Era of Community Impact and Growth

Avon, Ohio – The Frontier League, a Professional Partner League of Major League Baseball and the longest-running independent baseball organization in North America, announced today a comprehensive brand transformation.

Beginning in the 2027 baseball season, the league will compete as the National Association of Professional Baseball (NAPB). The rebranding process began in the fall of 2024 when Frontier League’s Board of Directors formed a Strategic Planning Committee to evaluate their current position and future opportunities in the professional baseball structure.

The Committee was composed of team owners with a variety of professional sports experience, ranging from people with more than 20 years in the Frontier League to those new to the league but with an extensive background in the sports and entertainment industry.

“With the tremendous growth over the past five years, highlighted by our expansion into Canada along with the Northeast and Southeast in the United States, our Board felt that it was the appropriate time for a detailed study of both our current role and future opportunities,” commented league commissioner Steve Tahsler.

“Working with an outside facilitator, the Strategic Planning Committee determined that we had outgrown the Frontier League brand, and that National Association of Professional Baseball better identified our current structure and future goals.”

The strategic visioning and rebranding process are both being led by BLDG, a consultancy firm out of Covington, Kentucky. BLDG previously oversaw the 2020 rebranding of the Florence Y’alls team along with the 2025 brand refresh of the Windy City ThunderBolts. The transition follows a landmark 2025 season where the league set its fourth consecutive attendance record and led the four Partner Leagues in player contracts transferred to MLB organizations.

The league’s 34-year history, statistics, and records, along with those of the individual teams, will still remain. “It is important that we continue to recognize the efforts, passion, and achievements of the thousands of players, staff, employees, and supporters whose dedication has allowed us to be an integral part of our communities for over three decades,” continued Tahsler.

“A key factor throughout the visioning and rebranding process was to balance retaining our history while planning for the future.”

“North America’s Home Teams” The NAPB brand strategy centers on the concept of being “North America’s Home Teams,” positioning each of the 18 clubs as a vital community asset. The league and individual teams have a unique ability to balance the fun of an entertainment venue, the ability to create unique marketing platforms for businesses, and the seriousness of professional baseball. Visual Identity & Heritage The new visual identity bridges the gap between baseball’s rich 1901 heritage and a clean, modern aesthetic.

The new “NA” monogram, adorned with a signature pennant flag, will be featured prominently on all team uniforms, digital platforms, and league broadcasts beginning in the 2027 season. The visual identity also includes French versions, driving the inclusion of our teams in Canada. “While our branding is being updated, our core mission will remain the same,” added Tahsler.

“We strive to be a positive, contributing member to each of our communities while providing players and staff the opportunity to launch or continue a career in professional baseball.”

The full set of marks will be unveiled during the 2026 Home Run Derby, being held on Tuesday, July 14 at Florence’s Thomas More Stadium.

Fans can stay up to date on the 2026 season of the Frontier League and the transition to the National Association of Professional Baseball by visiting https://www.frontierleague.com/.

About the National Association of Professional Baseball (NAPB) The NAPB (currently the Frontier League) is an official Partner League of Major League Baseball. Founded in 1993, it is the oldest and largest independent professional baseball league in North America, featuring 18 teams across the Northeastern and Midwestern United States and Eastern Canada.

About BLDG Founded in 2012, BLDG has helped revive legacy businesses, stand up startups, improve recruitment at hallowed universities, sell regional tourism value propositions, used placemaking to galvanize communities, helped pass anti-smoking legislation, and even created fun minorleague baseball identities.

Independent Ball

The Intercounty Baseball League in Canada Turns Professional

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A New Era for Independent Professional Baseball in Canada Begins

Official Press Release Announced November 24th:

The Intercounty Baseball League (IBL), which has been in operation since 1919, is pleased to announce that it is now a fully professional league that will hereafter be known as the Canadian Baseball League (CBL.ca). These changes reflect the significant growth of its fan base over the last three years, which culminated in a record 249,590 fans attending games in 2025.

The Canadian Baseball League is, simply put, the best professional baseball league in Canada.  Last season, 64 players with either MLB or Minor League Baseball experience suited up to play in the League, including former MLB All-Star and World Series champion Fernando Rodney who pitched for the Hamilton Cardinals.  Last year also witnessed former Guelph Royals player, Liam Hicks, make the Major League roster of, and become an integral player for, the Miami Marlins.

“Fan interest in our League has exploded to historic levels,” said CBL Commissioner Ted Kalnins. “The quality of baseball has always been top-rate, with players drawn from across Canada, Latin America and Japan, but the main engine of our growth has been significantly enhanced fan experience, with fun in-game entertainment, contests, unique theme nights, and accessible players, all at a very affordable price for an entire family.”

In addition to the name change, there will be numerous changes in store for the Canadian Baseball League in 2026, some of which will be announced in the coming weeks.   The CBL’s regular season will increase from 42 to 48 games, commencing the second week of May 2026.  Only five teams will qualify for the playoffs, thereby raising the competitive stakes of the regular season.  The fourth-place team will face the fifth-place team in a one-game playoff, followed by two best-of-seven series to determine the Dominico Cup champion.

All CBL games will continue to be streamed live on YouTube, but will now also be available, along with other League content, via Roku, FireTV, Apple TV, iOS and Android apps.

The history of the Intercounty Baseball League will continue to be carried forward in every respect.  For the last year, numerous efforts were undertaken to research and consolidate historical information, photos and artifacts associated with the IBL’s lengthy history.  Among other partners, the Hanlan’s Point Chapter of the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) has been assisting with this project, which shall continue to be a League priority.

“Our history is what made our future possible,” Kalnins said.  “Now, the Canadian Baseball League is ready to write the next chapter in the Canadian baseball story – one that will create an even better, more engaging, more memorable experience for our players, our communities, and most of all, our fans.” 

The Canadian Baseball League (CBL) is the top independent professional baseball league in Canada, boasting ex-MLB, MiLB and elite graduating NCAA college baseball players, including players from the Dominican Republic, Cuba, Panama and Japan.  The 2026 season will mark the CBL’s 108th year in operation. The CBL is one of the longest continuously operated baseball leagues in the world and serves as a valuable training ground for coaches, umpires, and front office staff.  More than 40 IBL players have advanced to Major League Baseball or returned to the CBL following their MLB careers. The league is comprised of teams from Barrie, Brantford, Chatham-Kent, Guelph, Hamilton, Kitchener, London, Toronto and Welland. For more information, visit http://www.cbl.ca or @cbl1919 on Instagram and Twitter. 

Indy Ball Island will have further information and updates as they become avaliable!