Off-Topic Forum

After watching the WBC I decided I want to get into watching/collecting all the different leagues from around the world. Does anyone know when the following leagues seasons start I can't find much on their websites or wikipedia. 

KBO, NPB, Australian Baseball League, Czech Extraliga, Cuban League. 

Also does anyone know the best card brands for these leagues

NPB, your best bet is BBM.  Opening Day is March 30.

KBO, SCC is the only option. Opening Day is April 1.

Unfortunately, the Australian Baseball League doesn't consistently put out a yearly set.  A few of the teams produce team sets, but that's about it.  Their season just ended in January, and the 2023-24 season won't start until November.

Czech Extraliga's current season ends in a couple of weeks, and won't start again until October.  I literally just learned they have cards because of your question.  https://legendary-cards.cz/c26-baseball  I will investigate further and try to get them listed here.

The Cuban National Series (Serie Nacional de Béisbol) also doesn't have a regular set of cards.  Like most Caribbean leagues, they run during the winter months, so their season ended in January.

Other pro leagues include the CPBL in Taiwan, they usually have a set of cards issued by the league, but they are always a season or two behind.  Honkbal Hoofdklasse is the pro league in the Netherlands.  I've seen a few individual team sets, but never a league-wide set.

Just tried to order a box of the Czech Extraliga's cards.  Unfortunately they only ship to the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

I have a friend that goes to Italy every year.  I told him next time head heads over I'll give him cash for Italian cards (pokemon, sports or whatever).  If I end up with any doubles I'll have stuff to trade.
As it is, I have a couple 90s era Basketball cards on my for trade list right now that are in Italian, Spanish and Portuguese if anyone is interested in making an offer for any of them.  Not many total, maybe a dozen of all three put together.

I think you found the Czech Extraliga hockey season. The baseball season starts March 30th.

That would make more sense for a European league unless they want to play in the snow.

Canadian Codhead wrote:

I think you found the Czech Extraliga hockey season. The baseball season starts March 30th.

I have bought Czech hockey cards from this shop that I can recommend: https://www.rhkshop.cz They also have Czech baseball cards in stock. The website is only in Czech and offers shipping options inside the EU but maybe you can email them to inquire about ordering to North America, they were very prompt to reply to me and help me set up an order (I am in Finland).

I know there were cards produced for the Italian Baseball League in 2002 & 2003, but have not been able to find any for sale anywhere.  The most obscure set I've picked up so far was for a team in Austria.

I never thought about sports cards overseas. I guess that would be a unique collection to try and start. 

Just found some NPB Topps Chrome in our local Walmart. CentralOntario... Topps UK there too a few months ago.