Black Pearl Sports Group: Backing the Next Era of Australian Baseball

Black Pearl Sports Group (BPSG) welcomes and fully supports the Australian Baseball League's transition into its new era. Baseball Australia has confirmed the ABL will continue as a four-team competition through the 2026/27 season as part of a broader move toward a new centrally-owned and operated model, following the signing of a memorandum of understanding that sets the framework for a restructured league. International Management Group (IMG) will continue to support Baseball Australia on commercial strategy, media rights, sponsorship and global brand positioning throughout the transition, with a targeted return to a six-team format by the 2027-28 season.

We see this as a defining moment. The structure being put in place is exactly the kind of foundation a league needs to grow with stability, and it positions the ABL to claim its rightful place as the premier home of winter baseball on the world stage. Australia's seasonal alignment with the northern hemisphere off-season, its English-speaking market and its proximity to Asia's powerhouse leagues make this an opportunity few nations can offer.

"We're proud to back this transition. A centrally-operated model gives the league the stability it needs to grow, and we believe it sets the ABL on a path to becoming the premier home of winter baseball anywhere in the world. We're not on the sidelines for this; we're invested and committed to seeing it through," said Black Pearl Sports Group Founder & Managing Director Cole Sherertz.

Our plans for both licences — the Perth Heat and the Sydney Blue Sox — remain unchanged. We will continue to elevate the level of play on the field and the quality of the experience off it, for new and returning fans alike. That commitment is the baseline, not the ambition.

"We're excited to be part of this transition year and optimistic about what the future holds for the league," Sherertz said. "Our commitment doesn't change because the structure around us changes. We remain focused on delivering elite baseball and exceptional experiences for our fans."

A core part of how we do that is technology. BPSG continues to invest in the proprietary development of game-day enhancement technology, alongside reimagined themes and experiences designed to make every night at the ballpark something fans want to return to. We believe the future of the sport is built as much in the stands and on the screen as it is between the lines, and we're putting real investment behind that belief to support the broader baseball and sporting landscape in Australia.

"Our job is to keep raising the bar on and off the field," Sherertz said. "That means elite baseball, and it means a game-day experience that families and fans genuinely look forward to. The technology we're building is central to that vision."

Beyond our two markets, BPSG remains committed to developing partnerships and initiatives that create opportunities for baseball at every age and skill level, strengthening the pathways that connect grassroots players to elite competition. Through expanded academies, school holiday camps and player development programs across Sydney and Perth, BPSG is investing in the next generation of athletes while creating more opportunities for players and families to engage with the game.

"Our academies, camps and community initiatives are a huge part of our long-term vision," Sherertz said. "We're committed to developing partnerships and opportunities for baseball at all ages and skill levels because growing the game starts long before a player reaches the professional level."

BPSG intends to continue its work and involvement in professional baseball in Australia through this transition and into the next iteration of the game. While the precise scope of that involvement is still to be determined, our plans and our commitment remain firm.

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