The steering committee of the Pessac Panthers decided at the beginning of November to bring their team back into the French Elite League. They had qualified due to winning the championship in the Nationale 1 Division, defeating Korvers de Dunkerque in the finals. Pessac last played in the Elite League in 2004. Their best finish came in 1998, when they ended the year in third place and received the right to represent France in the European Cup one year later. With the Panthers return to the top division in French Baseball, the league will be back up to eight teams after playing with just seven in 2010.
French Elite League in 2011:
- Rouen Huskies (2010 Champion)
- Savigny Lions
- Montpellier Barracudas
- Templiers Senart
- Stade Toulousain
- Paris UC
- Montigny Cougars
- Pessac Panthers