Australian Baseball League to welcome New Zealand franchise

The Australian Baseball League (ABL) has advised that a Baseball New Zealand-backed franchise will join the competition as the ‘Auckland Tuatara’.

Former Major League Baseball pitcher, Steve Mintz, has been confirmed as manager of the side with the first home game of the season to be played at Te Atatu’s McLeod Park on 22nd November.

McLeod Park will host their 12 home games during their debut season.

Establishing a New Zealand franchise in the ABL has been almost a decade in the making with Baseball New Zealand finally being offered a spot in the competition late last year.

Baseball New Zealand Chief Executive, Ryan Flynn, said the establishment of the new club will hep provide pathways for juniors, stating “Kiwi kids will have a local team to aspire to and our leading players will be able to play professionally while being based here at home.

“There is a tremendous appetite for professional baseball in New Zealand and we are delighted to be able to give Kiwi sports fans the opportunity to see it first-hand.”

Tuatara are reptiles endemic to New Zealand and are the country’s oldest surviving species.

The team’s logo features a teal and royal navy colour scheme which was chosen to resemble the region’s marine heritage, along with the head of the Tuatara.

Commenting on the branding, Auckland Tuatara board member Brett O’Riley told the NZ Herald “we are celebrating the resilience of the Tuatara as our oldest surviving species, and we want the team to mirror those qualities on the diamond.

“We intend to make an annual contribution towards Tuatara conservation through Auckland Zoo and global coverage of the team will raise awareness of New Zealand’s commitment to species protection.”