A LOT of players and readers have been asking me for information on the National Urban Professional Baseball League (NUPBL).
Many articles have been appearing about this new indy league starting this summer… (stop me if you’ve heard this one before…). You can read all of these articles on their “Press Release” page on the official website.
It does appear that some players (I’ll assume they’re players in this league as there are no rosters) have been out in the community, and the league is trying to reach out to surrounding communities… That is always a plus.
The NUPBL claims to be a “rebirth” of the Negro leagues because African Americans have been “limited” in their opportunities to play baseball, while then stating in the next sentence that they are in “NO WAY” limited to only African American players.
To me, this is just sending a ton of mixed signals to what this league is trying to do.
I’ve reached out to the league multiple times, as I’ve also stated in my article back in November, but they have failed to respond to my questions – even the biggest scams in recent history had enough respect to email me back and give me BS answers. This league has decided to just ignore it.
That’s fine, but I can’t ignore reporting about them.
The only information I know about this league is what is provided on their official website, that just so happens to be full of grammatical errors and stock photographs.
Their “About Us” page states:
VisionPromote Diversity in BaseballDevelop Economic, Social and Educational ProgramsPromote EntrepreneurshipMission StatementInspire individuals to use their God given talent and abilitiesto reach their personal and professional goals
The creation of this professional Baseball League is designed to provide family entertainment.This league will be dedicated to the generations of baseball players who were denied the opportunity to play baseball because of factors other than their ability to play the game of baseball.
African American baseball players has been limited in their opportunity to participate in the game of baseball
“America’s Pastime”
on the high school, college and the professional baseball level.While this league in “NO WAY” will be limited to only African America players. We will seek out the best baseball players from across the United State and the World regardless of their ethnic back round.The league in its initial conception will consist of four teams with plans for future expansion.
Play a seventy two game schedule between
May thru August in addition to play-offsTeam (s) will consist of
Team manager
Coaches
24 players per team
Targeted ages for the team will be players 17 years old and older (that have completed or will be completing their H.S. eligibility).
The players in this league will be paid
Scheduled to start in May 2018We will form the teams by selecting players (not withstanding their racial back round) from across the United State and the World by way of open try-outs to be held at a number of sites (see tryouts).
After the teams are formed the players that will makeup these teams will actively take part in pre-planned promotion activities.The names of the teams in this league will reflect that of past Negro League players i.e. Rube Foster All-Stars, Satchel Paige All-Stars, and Josh Gibson All-Stars etc. To honor the history and memories of past African America baseball players (the same as the Negro League Museum in Kansas City, MO).
*Update* apparently the city in Tennessee has backed out. All games will happen in Mississippi.
I’ve also been told that the league does not want to give me any information.
Indy Ball Island 