‘Never been more popular:’ IBL searching for tenth baseball team
Posted May 24, 2025 07:58:57 AM.
Last Updated May 25, 2025 09:07:04 AM.
It was a cold and rainy kick-off to the baseball season for the Intercounty Baseball League (IBL), home to the Kitchener Panthers, but new numbers are pointing to a spike in popularity.
The IBL said it collectively saw over 20,000 visitors to its ballparks throughout the province during its opening week alone.
That number was led by Welland, London, Hamilton, and Toronto, with the Maple Leafs seeing over 3,000 fans during their opening game. Ayami Sato took the mound as the opening day starter, the first female pitcher in the league.
“These numbers go to show that Canada’s best baseball league has never been more popular,” IBL Commissioner Ted Kalnins said.
In 2024, the league saw 184,000 total visitors throughout the season; it is hoping to increase that number to 200,000 in 2025. That would mean the league will have broken its own attendance record for the third year in a row.
“Fans are flocking to our stadiums because of the engaging fan experience, with fun in-game entertainment, giveaways, theme nights, and accessible players, all at an incredibly affordable price,” Kalnis said.
Along with the release of those opening week attendance numbers, the IBL has also said it is actively on the hunt for a tenth team to join the league. It said it hopes to have the new team installed ahead of the 2026 season.
This would be the second new team within two years, coming right off the heels of the ninth team, the Chatham-Kent Barnstormers, joining the ranks of the IBL.
The league has said it hopes to expand into various potential areas, including Windsor, Ajax, the GTA, Oshawa, and even as far as Montreal.
Any potential parties interested in developing a baseball team for the Intercounty Baseball League are asked to reach out to their email at expansion@theibl.ca.
Back locally, the Kitchener Panthers are looking to continue their young season, now sitting with a 2-1 record, after being rained out ahead of Thursday’s contest.
Now, the team prepares for a busy weekend. It kicks off with a game on the road in Welland against the Jackfish before returning home on Sunday, with the team welcoming the London Majors to Jack Couch Park.
The full schedule for the Panthers can be found on the team’s website.
