FLORENCE, Ky. — Fans can soon return to the ballpark in Kentucky.

What You Need To Know


  • New independent baseball league starting

  • Four teams all from Kentucky

  • Seven-week season

  • Tryouts are open to everyone

Florence Y’alls and Lexington Legends will play in a new venture called the Battle of the Bourbon Trail.

Four teams will play a seven-week season.

“We’re trying to provide baseball as safe as you can, not only for our fans but athletes as well and we believe that this model that we put together with Lexington will achieve that,” said David DelBello, President and CEO of the Florence Y’alls. “The big challenge for us going forward for us is July 31st, we’re opening for real baseball. We’re bringing back professional players to play baseball in a league with Lexington.”

This new league is independent and developed after the cancellations of the 2020 season from the Frontier League and Minor League Baseball. 

“This is a four-team league, this is an all Kentucky League. We’re doing to it hopefully to have primarily local players on the teams to mitigate any sort of COVID issue with our players and our staff,” DelBello said.

Fans can expect temperature checks upon entry, new markings, and signs to socially distance at concessions stands and reduced capacity in the stadium.

“We heard nothing but excitement from fans that we can actually come out and see baseball. So what does that mean to us? It means we need to figure out a way to bring them here safely so they can enjoy a night out with their family,” Delbello said.

 

The four teams are made up of two teams from Florence and two from Lexington. You might remember the Florence Y'alls was once called the Florence Freedom. Well, they are recycling the name for a team in the new league. Lexington is also creating a second team called the Las Leyendas, which is Spanish for Legend.  

Tryouts for the teams are open to all and will take place at UC Health Stadium in Florence on July 20 and at Whitaker Bank Ballpark in Lexington on July 22. The teams will play each other Wednesday thru Sunday beginning July 31.