Kash Shaikh helped bring professional baseball to the Middle East. Now, he’s turning his focus to building the game from its foundation.
Shaikh, the former Chairman, CEO, and co-founder of Baseball United — a league World Baseball Network covered extensively during its inaugural season in Dubai — has been named Chief Marketing Officer and Head of International for Perfect Game.
The move reflects a shift in strategy, not purpose.
“After spending the last four years building a professional baseball ecosystem in Dubai and across the Middle East, I’m excited about the shift from working top down to now scaling from the ground up,” Shaikh told World Baseball Network.
From Launching a League to Strengthening the Pipeline
Baseball United’s debut marked a significant moment for the sport, introducing professional baseball to a region where it had never existed at that level.
World Baseball Network was on site throughout the league’s launch, covering its first games, its international rosters, and the broader vision behind the project.
Under Shaikh’s leadership, the league reached nearly 100 million viewers and built the region’s first professional baseball venue.
But the most important takeaway wasn’t the scale.
It was sustainability.
“The biggest lesson I learned is that you can’t sustainably grow the game from the top. You have to build it from the ground up.”
That realization now drives his next step.
Why Perfect Game
Perfect Game operates at the center of amateur baseball in the United States, serving as a pipeline for players to reach college programs and Major League Baseball organizations.
For Shaikh, that infrastructure presents an opportunity to expand globally.
“Perfect Game already sits at the center of that foundation… Now it’s about unlocking growth across the entire platform—from merchandise and products to content and international expansion,” he said.
Lessons From Building Baseball Abroad
Shaikh’s experience launching Baseball United required navigating a complex international landscape.
“Any time you’re operating across multiple countries… complexity comes with the territory,” he said.
Baseball United CEO and co-founder Kash Shaikh speaks to journalists ahead of the league’s inaugural season at the new Barry Larkin Field in Ud al-Bayda outside of Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Thursday, Nov. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Fatima Shbair)
From political considerations to infrastructure challenges, the process reinforced the importance of patience, adaptability, and strong partnerships.
During that time, Shaikh worked with more than 50 federations around the world — relationships that will now play a role in Perfect Game’s international growth.
“If you want to grow the game globally, you have to invest in the amateur and youth levels,” he said.
Expanding the Game’s Global Reach
In his new role, Shaikh will oversee marketing, partnerships, and international expansion efforts, with a focus on building a broader ecosystem around amateur baseball.
That includes events, media, and new pathways for players outside the United States.
“Getting into our database… can change a player’s trajectory. Expanding that access globally is a huge opportunity,” he said.
A Continuation of the Same Mission
Shaikh stepped down as CEO of Baseball United earlier this year following the league’s inaugural season, with the organization continuing operations moving forward.
His focus now shifts to a different level of the game — but with the same objective.
Growing baseball beyond its traditional borders.
