The Frontier League, the longest-running independent professional baseball organization in North America and an official MLB Partner League, announced a major brand transformation on April 22, 2026. Starting with the 2027 season, the league will compete as the National Association of Professional Baseball (NAPB).
The rebrand marks a significant evolution for the 34-year-old league, which has expanded far beyond its original Midwest roots. What began as a collection of teams in places like Ohio, Kentucky, and West Virginia now spans 18 clubs across the Northeastern and Midwestern United States, the Southeast, and Eastern Canada.
Frontier League on X (formerly Twitter): “Coming 2027 #NAPB pic.twitter.com/OAvPt2JkXg / X”
Coming 2027 #NAPB pic.twitter.com/OAvPt2JkXg
League Commissioner Steve Tahsler explained that the change reflects the organization’s broader footprint and ambitions. The rebranding process started in fall 2024 when the Board of Directors formed a Strategic Planning Committee to assess the league’s position and chart a path forward.
“With the tremendous growth over the past five years, highlighted by our expansion into Canada along with the Northeast and Southeast in the United States, our Board felt that it was the appropriate time for a detailed study of both our current role and future opportunities,” Tahsler said. “We had outgrown the Frontier League brand, and National Association of Professional Baseball better identified our current structure and future goals.”
The name carries deep historical resonance in baseball. It nods to the early 20th-century National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues (NAPBL), the longtime governing body for affiliated minor leagues until its integration into MLB. For an independent league that has earned Partner League status and strong ties to MLB, adopting “National Association” represents both tradition and a bold statement of identity.
The transition is being guided by BLDG, a Covington, Kentucky-based consultancy known for work with teams like the Florence Y’alls and Windy City ThunderBolts. A sleek new visual identity will blend baseball’s rich heritage with a modern aesthetic. The centerpiece is a new “NA” monogram featuring a signature pennant flag, which will appear on team uniforms, digital platforms, and broadcasts starting in 2027.
Importantly, the league’s rich 34-year history, statistics, records, and individual team legacies will all carry over seamlessly under the new name.
The Frontier League set its fourth consecutive attendance record and led all MLB Partner Leagues in players whose contracts were purchased by Major League organizations.
As “North America’s Home Teams,” NAPB clubs serve as vital community anchors — delivering affordable family entertainment, local business partnerships, and a genuine proving ground for players chasing big-league dreams.
For St. Louis-area fans and baseball lovers across the region, this rebrand signals continued growth for independent baseball. Teams that deliver high-quality, exciting play in welcoming ballparks will soon operate under a name that better reflects their national (and cross-border) reach.
The 2026 season will be the final one under the Frontier League banner. Come 2027, a new chapter begins for one of professional baseball’s most resilient and successful independent organizations.
