The WPBL was approached by dozens of potential owners after it announced its launch in October, according to Keith Stein, co-founder of the league with pioneer Justine Siegal, the first woman to coach a professional men's baseball team.

"Over 40 percent of Major League Baseball fans are women, and women's professional sports — even women's collegiate sports — have never been more recognized by the public than today," Siegal said.

"It's a perfect time to take a game that women have been loving for centuries, and give them a chance not just to play, but also be in leadership positions."

Reuters