A British Editor: My First Taste of Baseball
My first memories of Baseball came in the form of my favorite childhood movies– Liar Liar and Good Will Hunting! That moment watching a father and son playing catch and the explosive descriptive vision by Robin Williams as he talks about the game he missed to meet his future wife.
I get invited to more than 300 events a year as Editor-in-Chief of Sports & Gulf, so my default response is professional curiosity. When Kash Shaikh, Baseball United’s chairman and co-founder, asked me to attend the season opener I hesitated — I’m an expat Brit, in my 30s and my sporting faith is usually pledged to the Premier League and Golf. But my curiosity won, due to the daring audacity and passion of this project. Seeing a full program and an actual season on the calendar, uniting over 90 nationalities, made the invite impossible to refuse.
At the press conference, i joined media partners from Japan, South Korea and the USA who had united to see the unveiling of the vision in this heavily backed project.
After a passionate, personal and beautiful address by Kash Shaikh and the team, i was invited to put on a glove and ignite that moment i always dreamed of experiencing- the leather crack in my hand as i catch a fastball. I was hooked- and continued for 10 minutes, until my arm said settle down.
Next i was fortunate to experience a 1 on 1 batting lesson from the legendary Robinson Chirinos, proud to have not made a fool of myself as the cameras rolled!
Game Day
Mumbai Cobras vs Karachi Monarchs– The ballpark itself is immaculate — a clean, modern diamond that feels both intimate and intentionally cinematic. As the stands filled, pre-game entertainment drew people to their feet; the surreal highlight was camels escorting the team captains onto the field, a moment that sealed the night as something uniquely Middle Eastern and delightfully theatrical.
That blend — classic baseball theatre with local flourishes — is Baseball United’s strongest move, one that has social media’s algorithms working overtime. It respects the sport’s pageantry while rooting the spectacle in place. The stadium sound, the vendors, the family groups, the expat clusters and curious first-timers made for a crowd that was both lively and good-natured.
The first crack of the bat
I settled into the Diamond stand with a cold one and waited. The first pitch, then the unmistakable crack of a bat: the ball rose high into the midnight sky and landed beyond the fence. My first live home run. The arc of the ball, the collective gasp, the eruption of applause — translated more than any highlight reel ever could.
Watching Mumbai Cobras face Karachi Monarchs, the pace and choreography of the game slowly clicked. There were moments of strategic tension, flashes of athleticism and the communal joy of small victories. I found myself applauding routine plays, singing along to chants I didn’t know the words to, and appreciating how sport can be both foreign and immediately familiar.
Striking Moments
- Baseball United has created an accessible entry point for a region new to professional baseball. The atmosphere was designed to welcome fans, not mystify them.
- The league’s event-first approach — entertainment, hospitality and culturally attuned fan and family moments — makes a day at the park as much about the experience as the scoreboard.
- For expats like me, live sport remains the superior tonic: highlights are convenient, but the roar, the shared jokes, and the communal heartbreak are what create memories.
- Explainer vids- enticed audiences to understand rules, plays and the structure of Baseball at the turn of critical moments. I now know what moneyball and fireball means!
Gulf Sports Scene
This isn’t just a novelty. Baseball United’s presence in Dubai signals the region’s appetite for diverse sporting product and experiential events that attract families, tourists and local sports fans alike. For media, sponsors and clubs, it represents a fresh canvas — one that blends global sport with local storytelling and hospitality. For a city that stages world-class events, adding a home-grown diamond to the mix expands sporting identity, not simply calendar clutter.
Final impressions
I arrived sceptical and left converted — not into a die-hard baseball purist, but into a genuine admirer of what Baseball United is building. The night was proof that a well-executed sporting event can turn an indifferent visitor into a fan: theatre, craft, ritual and a few sublime athletic moments stitched together under desert lights. If you’re in the UAE and curious about sport beyond the familiar, this is one wonder to experience live rather than on rewind.
I will be back, but next time – equipped with my family and friends, with one eye on their facial expressions and one eye on the game!
If you want to experience this unique sporting spectacle — limited time remains
Ready to see Baseball United live? Grab your tickets while the season runs through December — seats are selling fast and the calendar is closing soon. Official information and season updates are on Baseball United’s website: https://baseballunited.com/.
