Rockland County, NY (October 16, 2019) – A new era in Rockland Boulders’ history commenced today with the announcement that the Can-Am League is merging with the Frontier League. This historic merger results in the creation of the largest league in all of Independent Professional Baseball, and the newly formed Frontier League will begin play in 2020 with a soon to be revealed 96-game schedule spanning from mid-May through September.

Several major markets will be well represented in the 14-team “Super League” through this landmark accord, including New York, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Quebec City and St. Louis. As a result, the newly formed association will be an even more attractive beacon for cultivating and developing professional baseball talent. The oldest Independent Professional Baseball League in the country, the Frontier League began play in 1993 and just finished its 27th season. Over this remarkable span, more than 1,000 player contracts have been sold to MLB teams and 38 of those players have advanced to play in Major League Baseball.

“With our 10th Anniversary Season coming up, we have so much to be excited for and we’re proud to show our fans that the Boulders are always looking for ways to grow and improve now and for the future,” stated Team President Shawn Reilly, whose efforts to bring the 2019 Can-Am/Frontier All-Star Game to Palisades Credit Union Park served as a major catalyst in spearheading the new union. “We will see familiar faces from the Can-Am in addition to new opponents from across the country and we have more exciting announcements to follow in the coming weeks.”

Joining the Boulders from the Can-Am contingent are the Quebec Capitales, New Jersey Jackals, Sussex County Miners, and Trois-Rivieres Aigles (with the Ottawa Champions suspending operations for the upcoming season). They will participate in the 7-team Can-Am Division along with the Washington Wild Things and Lake Erie Crushers. The Midwestern Division will consist of the Evansville Otters, Florence Freedom, Gateway Grizzlies, Joliet Slammers, Schaumburg Boomers, Southern Illinois Miners and the Windy City Thunder Bolts.

“It has been my honor to be a part of this groundbreaking deal and I can’t thank all parties involved enough for getting us to this historic moment,” Can-Am League Executive Director Kevin Winn said. “I look forward to seeing where our newly formed alliance heads next and all the Independent Professional Baseball history that’s yet to be written.”

Frontier League Commissioner, Bill Lee, who has held that position since 1994, will continue in that role. He states, "I am extremely excited about this merger announcement. Not only does it strengthen the Frontier League, but it strengthens Independent Professional Baseball as a whole. I want to thank everyone from both Leagues that have worked so hard to make this happen."

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About Rockland Boulders and Bottom 9 Baseball, LLC

The Rockland Boulders are entering their 10th season of Professional Baseball as part of the newly-formed Frontier League, and are in pursuit of a post-season appearance for the seventh straight year. In 2016, Rockland’s first former player reached Major League Baseball when outfielder Stephen Cardullo made his debut with the Colorado Rockies on August 26. In 2014, the Boulders won the Can-Am League Championship and hosted the Frontier vs. Can-Am All-Star Game in 2019. Proud to be part of the rich history of professional baseball in the New York City region, during the 2017 season the team welcomed its 1,000,000th fan to Palisades Credit Union Park located in Rockland County, NY. In 2012 and 2014, Rockland was named the Can-Am’s “Organization of the Year.” The Boulders are owned and operated by Bottom 9 Baseball, LLC (B9B), a sports and entertainment company comprised of former executives from all levels of major and minor league sports. B9B is committed to providing superior customer service and quality, affordable family entertainment experiences for the Lower Hudson Valley and northeast New Jersey. Slide to www.rocklandboulders.com for more information.