Pioneer League Office Staff 

 

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Michael Shapiro

President 

 

Mike Shapiro is a veteran of over 40 years in the sports and entertainment industries, having served roles in: sports franchise ownership and management; television production, broadcast and digital media rights acquisitions; golf course management and sports facility development. He’s been a senior executive in a wide range of professional sports including baseball, golf, basketball and hockey.                                                                                                                                                                                               
Mike currently serves as the President of the Pioneer Baseball League, an independent MLB “Partner League” with teams in Montana, Colorado, Utah and Idaho. As well, Mike is an Executive Consultant for the Baltimore Orioles with whom he served as the Executive Vice President for Planning and Development, overseeing the club’s legal affairs, including the renovation of Camden Yards and the development of the Orioles’ new baseball academy in the Dominican Republic.                                                                                                                                                      
After attending Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service and the New College School of Law, Mike began his sports business career in 1984 as Vice President and General Counsel of the San Francisco Giants where he oversaw several administrative departments including, legal, human resources, broadcasting and business development.

Following the sale of the Giants in 1993, Mike became Senior Counsel to the Atlanta Braves, Atlanta Hawks and Atlanta Thrashers. In 1995, he was promoted to Vice President of Business Affairs and Administration for Turner Sports where he managed the department’s administrative divisions and negotiated the acquisition of telecast rights to such anchor properties as the NBA, NFL, PGA Tour, PGA of America, NASCAR and MLB.                                                                                                                                                                                                                          
In 1998 Mike joined Nike as the Tiger Woods Brand Manager. In this role, he managed the Tiger/Nike relationship and extended the joint brand into video games (EA Sports – “Tiger Woods Tour”), made-for- TV events and Asian market sales.      
After successfully negotiating the Lerner Family’s purchase of the Nationals in 2006, Mike was named the team’s Senior Vice President for Business Affairs where he assisted in the foundation of a new MLB franchise in Washington, DC, represented the team’s interests in the construction of Nationals Park and oversaw several internal business operations such as the team’s Florida Operations, Enterprises unit and the television rights negotiations with MLB and the Orioles.         

In 2012, Mike returned home to the Bay Area establishing an independent minor league baseball league, the Pacific Association of Professional Baseball Clubs. He was a member of the ownership group and President and General Manager of one of the founding clubs, the San Rafael Pacifics with whom he oversaw all team operations. Under Mike’s leadership, the Pacifics won four Pacific Association championships in their first seven years, were given the 2015 Business of the Year Award by the San Rafael Chamber of Commerce and the Spirit of Marin Award and in 2017 were awarded the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce’s Business Diversity Award. He was named the recipient of the 2015 Commissioner’s Award, honoring the Pacific Association’s Executive of the Year.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
In addition to being an avid golfer and writer, Mike has lectured and taught sports management and sports law classes at Georgetown University, Columbia University, University of San Francisco, St. Mary’s University, American University and NYU.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      
Mike and his wife Jane live in Novato, CA and have two sons, Harrison and Jackson.

 

 

 Brian Earle

  Director of Technology and Administration
 
As the Director of Technology and Administration, Brian Earle brings over two decades of executive leadership in digital strategy, licensing, and media  innovation to his role as Director of Technology and Administration for the Pioneer Baseball League. Based in St. Petersburg, Florida, Brian oversees the League’s technology infrastructure, digital initiatives, administrative operations, and media partnerships.

Before joining the PBL, Earle served as Technology and Digital Media Consultant for the Frontier League, where he led a sweeping modernization and rebranding effort.

His work included the launch of a new website and statistics platform, resulting in a 408% increase in page views and a major reduction in operational costs. He also co-negotiated a multi-year media rights deal with FloSports, generating a 137% increase in revenue and over 400% growth in viewership within the first year.

Earle’s career is deeply rooted in professional baseball. He spent over 26 years at Minor League Baseball, ultimately serving as Senior Vice President of Consumer Product Licensing. In that role, he managed brand development and licensing programs across 160+ clubs and 14 leagues. He also held key leadership roles as COO and Vice President of the Baseball Internet Rights Company (BIRCO), where he helped steer digital and e-commerce growth across MiLB’s expansive network.

Known for his forward-thinking leadership, Brian specializes in aligning business development, digital transformation, and fan engagement strategies. He holds a degree from the University of South Florida and continues to drive innovation in the sports industry through strategic vision and operational excellence. He currently resides in the Greater Tampa Bay Area.