Sports Media Report
After an off-season filled with new partnerships, MLB organization signings and a fun run by the Kane County Cougars in the Baseball Champions League (BCL) Americas last month, the American Association of Professional Baseball (@AA_Baseball) is set to begin the 2025 regular season with two games today, including the defending Miles Wolff Cup Champion Cougars hosting Sioux City at 6:30 p.m. CT / 7:30 p.m. ET.
Here are 10 (or so) Things to Know about the AAPB this week:
- Once again, all AAPB games can be seen LIVE for FREE on the league’s streaming service, AABaseball.TV. Fans can also catch games via AAPB broadcast partners Unbeaten, Ryz Sports Network and Gray TV. The AABaseball.TV app is also available for free on both major platforms.
- Cleburne also entertains Winnipeg tonight, with a 7:06 p.m. CT start. All other teams begin their campaigns on Friday, with each squad playing 100 contests in the regular season, concluding on Sept. 1.
- The Cougars had a fine showing in the BCL Americas 2025 tournament in Mexico City last month, advancing to the semifinals with wins over the Santia Maria Pirates and Leñadores de Las Tunas of Cuba before falling to Leñadores in the semis.
- A few AAPB alumni have made news signing with MLB organizations, notably J.C. Escarra, whose professional baseball journey included a 70-game stint with the Kansas City Monarchs in 2022. The New York Yankees’ backup catcher drilled his first home run in the Majors on April 27 and had a walk-off RBI last night. Winnipeg Goldeyes All-Star standout Dayson Croes recently signed with the San Franciso Giants’ organization. Fourteen league alumni have already appeared in the big leagues in 2025
- It’s worked the other way too, as some names familiar to MLB fans are newly dotting AAPB rosters, as former Atlanta Braves All-Star pitcher Jair Jurrjens and Jake Diekman, a New York Met in 2024, will pitch for the Lincoln Saltdogs.
- One of the biggest stories of the 2024 season is running it back in 2025, as J.D. Scholten has returned to pitch for Sioux City. Last year, he made national news by rejoining the Explorers after a 17-year hiatus that has included a continued run as a state representative in Iowa. Scholten, now 45, won his first four decisions and finished 2024 at 6-2 in 11 starts.
- Among the off-season partnerships the AAPB has announced are an agreement with Carbliss as the league’s first-ever Founding Partner and its official “Ready to Drink” beverage; Champro, the official uniform supplier for the BCL; an extension with VensureHR as the exclusive and preferred supplier in the payroll category for the league; Unbeaten, RYZ Network and FuboTV as broadcast partners; CAPX as official hat; and IAS Branding as preferred promotional partner.
- In other broadcast news, the Kansas City Monarchs have moved their radio coverage of road games to Audacy’s KWOD 1660 AM beginning next week. Carter Woodiel will be on the call for the third straight year and is in his eighth year as AAPB lead broadcaster. And select Chicago Dogs games will be streamed live on WGN+.
- Some notable milestones to look out for early in the season are:
- Sioux Falls’ Jabari Henry has 141 career AAPB home runs, 5 fewer than the 146 by league career record holder Reggie Abercrombie (SF ’10-’13, WPG ’14-’19)
- Winnipeg’s Max Murphy has 148 career AAPB doubles, 16 fewer than the 164 by league career record holder John Allen (FW ’07-’11, LAR ’12-’13)
- Some of this week’s fun promotions across the league include:
- Kansas City: Friday, Satchel Paige bobblehead giveaway, pre-game sky divers, post-game fireworks; Saturday, Teacher Appreciation Night; Sunday: Bluey at the Ballpark
- Chicago: Saturday, Okotberfest and Fireworks presented by Wintrust
- Fargo-Moorhead and Kane County: Magnetic schedule and t-shirt giveaways
- Media interest in AAPB remains strong. Some of the recent articles on teams heading into Opening Day include:
- Chicago Daily Herald noting Kane County’s winning culture and the Chicago Dogs’ title prospects
- KTIV-TV details Sioux City’s preparations for 2025, while KSCJ Radio spoke with Manager Steve Montgomeryabout camp and play style
- Milwaukee Magazinenoted the Milkmen opener as a top Thing To Do this weekend
- Sioux Falls Live is ready for the Canaries’ season
- The original American Association was formed in 1902 as an independent minor league circuit for Midwestern U.S. cities like Minneapolis, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, Louisville and others. After several iterations, the realignment of Major League Baseball in 1997 spelled the end of the venerable league in that form. But in 2006, a new league formed using that great name, the result of a merger between two other “independent” leagues. Today, the AAPB is 12 teams strong and is a Major League Baseball Partner League operating in nine states and one Canadian province.
