New pro league in 2009?

Forgive me for reproducing this IAB press release, and it's far from clear how substantive it is, but it's nice to hear nevertheless.


ISRAEL ASSOCIATION OF BASEBALL TO GRANT NEW LICENSE FOR PRO BASEBALL IN ISRAEL FOR 2009
New Interest Being Explored by the IAB

The Israel Association of Baseball (IAB) has announced that it is exploring interest in granting a new license for operation of a professional baseball league in Israel, commencing in 2009. The IAB had previously granted a license to a company called Israel Baseball Properties (IBP), which operated the Israel Baseball League (IBL) in Israel for the 2007 season. The IAB terminated this license in January 2008, and no league was held in 2008. Currently, no company is licensed to operate a professional baseball league in Israel. The IAB is seeking new options for professional baseball in Israel, with the hope that a new league may be formed for the 2009 season

Sports in Israel is government regulated. The Ministry of Sport recognizes the IAB as baseball's regulatory body responsible for promoting the sport, organizing leagues and certifying its officials. Any professional baseball league in Israel would require the sanction of the IAB.

“A successful Pro League will have to have a positive symbiotic relationship with the IAB,” said Haim Katz, IAB President. “The pro league would help increase the awareness of baseball in Israel thereby strengthening the amateur league , and the amateur league would increase the player and fan base for the pro league.”

The Israel Association of Baseball has also announced an agreement with Aerielle Inc. to sponsor its amateur senior league. The league will now be called i2i Stream Premiere Senior League, after Aerielle's flagship product i2i® Stream Digital Music Broadcaster. The i2i Stream is a wireless digital audio device that allows a user to broadcast his or her favorite music to all that also have i2i Streams. This technology will also be used as the "PA" system at selected senior games. Together with Café Joe, which sponsors the Modiin Senior team, the IAB welcomes Aerielle Inc into its corporate senior team family. Larry Leibson, Aerielle's i2i representative in Israel stated “This is a great opportunity as it hits the right age and socioeconomic group.” There are still a limited number of sponsorship opportunities available in the senior league for companies willing to join this winning team.

About the IAB
The IAB is a non-profit organization (amutah) duly registered as such with the Israeli Authorities, with the purpose of promoting baseball in Israel. We are recognized as the governing body of baseball in Israel by all the official Israeli sports bodies: Ministry of Sport, Israel Sports Gambling Commission; the Israeli Olympic Committee; Otzma; and by official international sports bodies such as: Confederation of European Baseball and International Baseball Federation, MLB.

About Aerielle Inc.
Headquartered in Mountain View, CA, with offices in Hong Kong, privately held Aerielle®, Inc. is a developer of advanced, highly competitive wireless technologies whose mission is to bring low-cost, wireless audio solutions to the mass consumer market with no compromise in sound quality. Combined with innovative industrial design, Aerielle has embedded and licensed their patented Aerielle EnabledTM technology to some of the consumer electronic industry‟s most respected brands.

P.O.B. 48159 Tel Aviv 61481, ISRAEL TEL/FAX: 972-50-8962017
EMAIL: isbaseba@017.net.il web: http://www.iab.org.il