Recognized Programs

eligibility rules for the 2025 PLAYING SEASON

Rep Council shall automatically recognize any baseball program operating in Ontario which:

submits to Baseball Ontario an application in the form approved by Rep Council;

pays the fees established by Rep Council; and

operates only at the 13U to 18U levels, with no 11U or younger teams.

Recognized programs will be required to provide to Baseball Ontario a roster of the players participating on each of the program’s teams. The recognized program will be required to update the roster filed with Baseball Ontario as changes are made to the roster.

Recognized programs will be required to purchase insurance through Baseball Ontario at the member rate, or provide evidence of satisfactory liability insurance coverage.

A recognized program that is found to be operating, directly or indirectly, a 11U or younger team will automatically and immediately have its recognition suspended and will become a non-recognized program.

Subject to the foregoing clauses, recognition shall be effective from August 1^st to July 31^st annually, or the date application is received until July 31^st.

Programs seeking recognition will be required to pay a one-time fee of $1,000 with their initial application, together with annual team fees of $300/team.

So long as a program is recognized, the following shall apply:

1. teams from the recognized program may play OBA rep teams or other OBA recognized teams with no penalties or sanctions for either team;
2. teams from the recognized program may play in OBA elite tournaments (if the tournament host accepts the team’s application to the tournament); 
3. teams from the recognized program will not be eligible for OBA Rep National Qualifiers or OBA Rep Play-offs, unless the team complies with all residency requirements of P1 (i.e. all required release are obtained, the team registers with and is approved by an Affiliated Association, etc.);
4. players from the recognized program will be eligible to also register with an OBA rep team in compliance with section P1.12 e).
5. players from the recognized program are eligible to try out for the Ontario Youth Team operated by Baseball Ontario; and
6. players from the recognized program will be considered to be registered with Baseball Ontario for purposes of eligibility for the Canadian Junior National Team.

The following organizations are recognized for purposes of this rule: 

• PBLO franchises in good standing with the PBLO
• Ontario Senior Baseball Association
• All Senior Men’s House League Programs
• Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League
• Any organization which submits an application under, and complies with, the OBA Recognition Policy.   As organizations apply and are recognized, the will be added to this list. 
• For the 2025 season, the following organizations are recognized: (as of April 17, 2025)

Application for Recognition

Other than at Senior, players who are involved with a recognized alternative baseball program may ONLY sign with (i) the OBA Local Association in which they live OR (ii) the OBA Local Association with which they last rostered.  (Note:  In the case of (ii), if the player was not rostered with that Local Association in 2023, a release will be required from the OBA Local Association in which they live.)  If the Local Association(s) referenced in (i) and (ii) decide NOT to sign the player, the player may NOT sign with any other OBA team during the current playing season.

An OBA team may play against any organization listed above which has been recognized under the Baseball Ontario Recognition Policy. 

OBA teams wishing to play in one of those alternative baseball programs must follow all rules applicable to OBA teams, including rostering and release requirements, and must comply with their obligations to their Affiliated Association and OBA. 

REQUESTS 

Affiliated Associations or Local Associations wishing for OBA to recognize any other alternative baseball program may request the Rep Council to consider their request.  Any such request must be made in writing, and in the case of a Local Association have the approval of the team's Affiliated Association, and provide reasons why OBA should recognize the alternative baseball program.  Baseball Ontario's Rep Council reserves the right to approve or reject any such request. 

Non-OBA programs may apply for recognition in accordance with the OBA Recognition Policy. 

Anyone having any questions regarding these provisions may contact Justin Snively-Topping, Rep Commissioner, at justin.snively@baseballontario.com

OBA
STATEMENT WITH RESPECT TO PLAYING IN
INTERCOUNTY MAJOR LEAGUE

In order to provide a consistent and equal playing field for OBA teams across the province, OBA is announcing pursuant to RP2.11 of its Rep Division Playing Rules the following with respect to players playing in the Intercounty Major League in 2025.

1. Players playing in the Intercounty Major League are not eligible to sign with Senior teams within the OBA. In other words, players can only play with one senior-aged team in Ontario. 

2. Junior-aged players playing for the OBA junior team in the same municipality that operates an Intercounty Major League franchise may play as call-up with that particular Intercounty Major League team, but no other. For example, players playing on the Kitchener Junior team may play as call-ups with the Kitchener Intercounty team only. Where there is no Junior team in the municipality of the Intercounty team, then the Intercounty team may, with the consent of the Junior team, designate in writing to OBA one Junior team for call-ups. Only one Junior team may have its players be used as call-ups with an Intercounty team per Intercounty franchise. Junior teams whose players are to be used as call-ups for an Intercounty team must notify OBA of such arrangement prior to any players being used as call-ups.

3. If a Junior aged players playing for the OBA junior team in the same municipality that operates an Intercounty Major League franchise plays as a call-up with the Intercounty Major League team then that player is ineligible to play as a call-up with the OBA senior team in that municipality. For example, players playing on the Burlington Junior team may play as call-ups with the Burlington Intercounty team OR the Burlington Senior team but not both.

4. Junior players in municipalities that do not have an Intercounty Major League franchise are not eligible to play as call-ups in the Intercounty Major League, except as specifically permitted in paragraph 2.

5. Players who play in the Intercounty Major League in violation of these rules will be deemed to be illegal players for OBA purposes.

Anyone having any questions regarding these provisions may contact Justin Snively-Topping, Rep Commissioner, at justin@playoba.ca.