It was loosely affiliated with Major League Baseball (MLB).

The HWB league first folded after the 1997 season as it was too heavily reliant on its limited funding from MLB.

It was the only winter league to feature both top Japanese and American talent.

However, this new league folded following the 2008 season when the contract with MLB expired.

[1] Source: [2] [3] The Kaneohe Bay Dawgs and Kona Man O'Wars were announced in August 1996 as expansions teams to begin play in 1997.