06/19/2008 10:42 AM
2008 IBL Season Announced!
Over and over, day after day, our emails have been besieged with queries about this summer’s plans. It is in this context that we are pleased to announce that we do plan on having our second season in Israel take place this summer, with opening game taking place on Sunday, July 27th!!!
We apologize it has taken us so long to respond to your requests, but we had to take care of some business first. Now, we are raring to go, as excited as we were last year to bring professional baseball to Israel.
This year, our menu will be a little different, but we think you will enjoy it all the more. The season will begin on July 27th and end on August 17th. The Bet Shemesh Blue Sox will be returning to defend their title and will be joined this year by three other teams – the Modi’in Miracle, the Netanya Tigers, and a new entrant, the Jerusalem Gold. Each time will play a 20-game regular season, culminating in a championship series. The set-up this year will be akin to the College World Series that is played each year in the U.S. Each day, there will be two games played, accompanied by on-field clinics, catch with the players, and softball games. Nonetheless, the competition and level of play at the pro level will be the same as last year, with the Blue Sox being public enemy number one for the other three teams.
According to Martin Berger, the league’s player personnel director, most of the players who will be playing this season are league veterans who played in the IBL during the inaugural season in 2007.
The IBL remains committed to bringing the highest level of professional baseball to Israel and also to developing the sport within the country itself. Its stated goal is to eventually have the majority of the players in the league be home-bred. By working with such organizations as the Jewish National Fund, the Jerusalem Foundation, Maccabiah, the Israel Association of Baseball, and the Israel Softball Association, along with local community groups, the IBL hopes to support the programs in Israel that already exist and to generate excitement throughout the country as only baseball can.
Announcements will appear soon as to the exact schedule and how to purchase tickets. In particular, we would like to note the fact that last year, over 4,000 fans showed up for opening game, so if you are looking to come to that gala event, we suggest you place your orders fairly early. Also, keep an eye out for our new, refurbished e-commerce store. It will be open soon.
Baseball in Israel. Fun, fun, fun. That’s all it is and all it is meant to be.
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