Yankees Co-Owner Bringing Baseball to Israel
Co-Owner of legendary American baseball team promotes initiative to establish professional baseball league in Israel.
American businessmen, including one of the owners of legendary baseball team The New York Yankees – which is worth approximately $1.5 billion – are promoting an initiative to establish a professional baseball league in Israel.
The businessmen visited Israel and held meetings with Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Regional Development Silvan Shalom and Jerusalem’s Mayor Nir Barkat, in which they asked for their assistance.
As part of the initiative, the businessmen proposed to build a baseball stadium near Jerusalem’s Teddy Stadium, which will serve as Israel’s central baseball hub.
Following the meeting, Barkat promised to promote the project and help find a proper location for the construction of the stadium.
Minister Shalom offered the businessmen governmental aid, if they were to build stadiums in the country’s northern and southern regions.
Officials were also examining the possibility of building a stadium in Netanya, which brands itself as Israel’s sports hub.
One of the men involved in the project is billionaire Jeffrey Rosen, who owns Israeli basketball team Maccabi Haifa.
The businessmen have also approached Israeli diplomats, and asked them to help coordinate meetings with Israeli officials that can help promote the project.
The entrepreneurs are aware of the fact that baseball is not very popular in Israel, but believe that with time it can gain a following. At first, they plan on catering to American expatriates living in Israel, who continue to follow the popular American sport.
Past attempts to import the sport have proved unsuccessful. In 2007, the first professional Israeli baseball league was established, and one of its managers was former US ambassador to Israel Martin Indyk.
Six teams participated in the league’s first season, but the second season was cancelled after the league suffered financial loses. Despite the failure of previous initiatives, the American entrepreneurs, who enjoy the support of The NY Yankees, want to have another go at it, and believe this time they will hit a home run.
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By Itamar Eichner for the Yediot Achronot
go-d-s right hand man
if israeli’s want professional baseball they should come to the U.S.A. or possibly Japan because it will cause me to regret donating to(not really much)israeli charities.
On the flip side the people in Israel are examples/role models to the world & baseball players might be good role models.
diehardyankeefan
go yankees!!!!!!1
Babe Ruth
This was already done a couple of years ago – it was called the Israel Baseball League. It folded after one or two seasons. What makes these folks think they’ll do better?
CH
what does this have to do with CH?
Wanda Ring
Isn’t is forbidden to steal second base?
Honest
To #1 You are all over the place. Before commenting, make appropriate attempts to construct a complete thought.
To #3 They now have more financial support
To #4 You are an idiot
To #5 You have a great sense of human
Mark Texaira
LETS GO YANKEES!!
Texas will lose the ALCS!!!
Yankees rock and they will win the chase for 28