West Virginia Black Bears

What West Virginia Black Bears does

The West Virginia Black Bears are a collegiate summer baseball franchise competing in the MLB Draft League, a developmental circuit operated under MLB Professional Development Leagues, LLC. Founded as part of the league's inaugural 2021 season (note: one firmographic source lists 2015), the team plays its home games at Kendrick Family Ballpark in Morgantown, West Virginia, and operates with approximately 35 staff on a seasonal schedule. The franchise's core function is twofold: (1) providing draft-eligible college players a showcase platform to accelerate their path to professional baseball, and (2) delivering affordable, family-oriented live baseball entertainment to the Morgantown and broader West Virginia market. Its on-field credibility is anchored by the 2025 MLB Draft League championship and a league-record 2026 MLB Draft output of 15 selections, including 10 pitchers, with the Houston Astros purchasing Carson Estridge's contract on 2026-07-17 in the first such Draft League transaction of the 2026 season.

The commercial model rests on three revenue streams: ticket sales (single-game, season memberships, group packages, and multi-year suite rentals), merchandise sales through the Baseball Collective online storefront, and regional sponsorships with partners such as West Virginia University Medicine, Candlewood Suites, VisitMountaineerCountry.com, and Buffalo Wild Wings. The product surface extends beyond core ticketing to include the Coopers Crew Kids' Club, Silver Sluggers senior membership, live game streaming via mlbdraftleague.com, and Black Bears Radio LIVE broadcasts on U92 The Moose. Customer segments span general public/families (primary), corporate groups, youth/amateur baseball organizations, and MLB scouts/enthusiasts. The franchise distributes through its official website, on-site box office, and an e-commerce merchandise store, with no disclosed technology moat, APIs, or AI capabilities.

Name

West Virginia Black Bears

Legal name

West Virginia Black Bears

Website

https://westvirginiablackbears.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The West Virginia Black Bears are an MLB Draft League collegiate summer baseball franchise based in Morgantown, WV, developing draft-eligible players while providing affordable family entertainment, ticketing, sponsorships, and merchandise at Kendrick Family Ballpark.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Minor League Baseball Entertainment

NAICS

Hobby, Toy, and Game Retailers (45912)

SIC

Retail-Hobby, Toy & Game Shops (5945)

akta.pro primary industry

Sports Collectibles, Fan Gear & Licensed Merchandise Retail (CRAMABAO)

akta.pro secondary industry

Team & League Branded Merchandise Retail (Non-Apparel) (CRAMAOAF)

Keywords

• Minor league baseball
• Baseball entertainment
• Sports ticketing
• Team merchandise
• Game day experiences

Headquarters

HQ city

Morgantown

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Revenue from single-game tickets, season tickets, suite rentals, group packages, and ticket packs for baseball games at Kendrick Family Ballpark
2. Merchandise Sales: Sale of team branded merchandise including apparel, hats, and memorabilia through the Baseball Collective online store
3. Sponsorships and Partnerships: Partnership deals with local and regional businesses including West Virginia University Medicine, Candlewood Suites, VisitMountaineerCountry.com, and Buffalo Wild Wings

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The West Virginia Black Bears sell live minor league baseball game entertainment at Kendrick Family Ballpark in Morgantown, WV, as a member of the MLB Draft League. The team's commercial offerings include single-game and season admission tickets, suite rentals, group packages, ticket packs, and membership programs (Coopers Crew kids' club and Silver Sluggers senior membership), supported by official team merchandise sales, live streaming, and corporate sponsorships.

Product overview

The West Virginia Black Bears is a minor league baseball team offering a single unified product: live professional baseball game entertainment. The core offering includes game admission through various ticket tiers (single-game, season tickets, group packages) and venue access at Kendrick Family Ballpark. Additional modules include premium suite rentals, membership programs (Coopers Crew kids' club, Silver Sluggers seniors club), live game streaming, radio broadcasts, and an official merchandise store. The team participates in the MLB Draft League and uses Kendrick Family Ballpark as its home venue.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• 2026 Single Game Tickets
• 2026 Season Tickets

Quantifiable outcome

• 15 draft picks in 2026 - setting all-time record for most by one team
• +1 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.

• Houston AstrosmajorOthers · 17 July 2026MLB organization that purchased the contract of Carson Estridge from the West Virginia Black Bears, marking the first Draft League professional player contract purchase of the 2026 season
• West Virginia University MedicinemajorGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor healthcare system partner of the West Virginia Black Bears, providing medical support and community health initiatives
• Candlewood SuitescoreGTM or Marketing PartnerHotel partner providing accommodation options for visiting teams and traveling fans
• VisitMountaineerCountry.comcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional tourism partner promoting Morgantown and the surrounding area to visitors and baseball fans
• Buffalo Wild WingsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSports bar and restaurant chain partner serving as a community gathering spot and sponsor
• Black Bears Radio LIVE (U92 The Moose)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerRadio broadcast partner providing live game audio coverage and radio promotion

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Charleston Dirty Birds: Independent Atlantic League team based in Charleston, WV — the same state as the Black Bears and the most direct regional comparable. Operates a similar ticket/sponsorship/merchandise model in a small-market, family-entertainment orientation, though as an independent league rather than MLB-affiliated.

Direct peers

• Mahoning Valley Scrappers: Another MLB Draft League team with the same developmental-collegiate summer format, similar small-market regional footprint, and overlapping ticket/membership/sponsorship product set. Directly comparable on league governance, roster turnover, and seasonality.
• State College Spikes: MLB Draft League franchise operating in a similarly sized regional market with identical revenue streams (tickets, merchandise, group packages, sponsorships). Useful comparable for assessing draft outcomes, attendance sensitivity, and partner monetization in a comparable college-town setting.
• Williamsport Crosscutters: Fifth fellow MLB Draft League franchise, operating with the same short-season, draft-development business model. Comparable for attendance, merchandise, and sponsorship economics in a small Pennsylvania market with similar weather exposure.
• Trenton Thunder: MLB Draft League peer sharing the same league economics, broadcast/distribution setup, and short-season cash-flow profile. Comparable as a benchmark for group-ticket, suite, and sponsorship pricing in a similarly sized metropolitan-adjacent market.
• Aberdeen IronBirds: Fellow MLB Draft League franchise sharing identical league structure, schedule, and developmental player model. Operates the same ticket/merchandise/sponsorship revenue mix out of a comparable small-market ballpark, making it the closest possible comparable on operating model and economics.

Emerging players

• Hudson Valley Renegades: Former New York-Penn League developmental team that, like the Black Bears, has navigated league restructuring. Operates a comparable ticket/merchandise/sponsorship model out of a small-market Northeast ballpark, making it a useful comparison for post-rebrand league economics.
• Tri-City ValleyCats: Former short-season affiliate now operating as an independent developmental baseball team in the Empire League. Comparable as a small-market, single-team entertainment operator with a similar mix of ticket, merchandise, and group-event revenue.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/WVBlackBears
• Facebookfacebook.com/WVBlackBears
• Instagraminstagram.com/wvblackbears
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/west-virginia-black-bears

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about West Virginia Black Bears