By Sports Business Journal
Pro Big League Wiffle Ball (BLW) will kick off its first professional season Oct. 25 with the Western Wiffle Ball Classic at Scottsdale Stadium, marking a major step for the league, which has grown from a backyard pandemic pastime into a 10-team national circuit with high-profile ownership.
Entrepreneur and internet personality Gary Vaynerchuk and his brother AJ headline the ownership group with their N.Y. Green Apples franchise, joining Marc Lasry (Las Vegas Scorpions), David Adelman and Ron Biscardi (Philadelphia Wiffle Club), Dude Perfect (Dallas Pandas) and others. The Green Apples name nods to N.Y.’s “Big Apple” moniker and Vaynerchuk’s lifelong Jets fandom.
Vaynerchuk said his decision to invest was driven by “a passionate young entrepreneur” — Logan Rose — his own love of wiffle ball and a belief in the rise of alternative sports leagues. Vaynerchuk has also invested in Unrivaled, SlamBall, a Vikings owners-backed esports team and a Major League Pickleball team called the 5s. Vaynerchuk called himself “very bullish” on alternative sports, noting that even powerhouse leagues like the NBA and NFL started as niche sports before growing into mainstream properties.
Vaynerchuk said the league’s ownership group includes “a lot of winners,” adding that the competitive dynamic will drive attention to the sport. As the owner of a N.Y. franchise, he said he feels a responsibility to “bring a lot of awareness to the league and the team” and is “up for the challenge.”
He pointed to the brand and sponsorship network he’s built through his independent advertising agency, VaynerMedia, believing that it puts him in an ideal position to attract partners. “Nobody’s in a better position to get the Pepsis or the Reeboks or the Gatorades or any other brand to be interested in our league more than me,” he said. “If the league is successful and vibrant … then the Green Apples are going to be in a good spot.”
The Scottsdale-based league was founded in 2020 by Rose, then 13, who began hosting backyard tournaments and building a following online. “Initially it was just friends, family, guys we played baseball with,” Rose said. “I taught myself how to edit … to where people would watch it and find us on social media and end up trying to actually find a way to join.”
Vaynerchuk said his long-term vision is for the league to draw in millions of viewers and for a handful of players to become mainstream sports figures. No media partner has been announced, though the league expects to secure one soon. Highlights will be posted across its social channels, including YouTube and Instagram.
More than 40 teams are registered for the Oct. 25 tournament at Scottsdale Stadium, which will serve as the first stop of a four-city schedule that also includes Chicago, L.A. and Dallas. The 10 pro franchises will be joined by amateur challenger teams, with the top finishers advancing to a World Series planned for spring 2026. League sponsors include Grand Slam Systems, Pinnacle Aviation, Grimaldi’s and Gila River Resorts & Casinos.
1/ How a Backyard Game Became My Next Big Bet 🧵@Garyvee and I are now the proud owners of the New York Green Apples in Big League Wiffle Ball (BLW) – https://t.co/QmXhEw1ewf pic.twitter.com/DVEafBn0n6
— AJ Vaynerchuk (@ajv) October 15, 2025
