The Women's Pro Baseball League (WPBL) will hold all of its games next year at Springfield's Robin Roberts Stadium.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) - The Women's Pro Baseball League (WPBL) will hold all of its games next year at Robin Roberts Stadium.

The WPBL is launching four teams next year, based in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Boston, and thought Springfield was a great middle ground between the East and West Coast. 

"Robin Roberts Stadium is a first-grade, 5,000-plus seat venue that will provide the highest quality experience for players and fans alike," said Kat Williams, WPBL Advisory Board Member. "The players of the WPBL will have exclusive access to that stadium. They will not be sharing with anyone. It is a beautiful venue, and it is historically a culturally significant location." 

Games will start Aug. 1 and run through mid to late September. They will not impact the Springfield Lucky Horseshoes season, which ends in July. 

Jamie Toole is the chief storyteller for the Horseshoes and the founder of Golden Rule Entertainment. He played a significant role in getting the WPBL to Springfield and will help coordinate with the League. 

The new season is part of a larger goal to jumpstart Robin Roberts Stadium, amid an ongoing fight over ownership of the ballpark. 

"Hopefully we're past any of the arguments and the challenges; there's always going to be challenges," Toole said. "But for us, this is a big day. For the stadium to work, you have to program your way into the renovations. We're going to double the amount of events that we have in 2026." 

Robin Roberts Stadium will also house the WPBL developmental league, beginning in 2027 and managed by Golden Rule Entertainment. 

Toole is happy that girls and young women in Springfield will have something to strive for when it comes to professional athletics. It is a role WPBL player Amanda Gianelloni is happy to take on. 

"My job is to pave the way for all of the younger women that are coming after me," Gianelloni said. "So it's a big opportunity for us, not only for our own playing careers, but you'll come to realize all of the women that we play with really hold the weight of the women who have paved the way before us, and the young girls that are going to come after us." 

The WPBL will host its first draft on Nov. 20. More details are available on the league's website.

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