MLB eyes London series as ‘jumping-off point’ for push into Europe

MLB eyes London series as ‘jumping-off point’ for push into Europe

A European road trip wouldn’t be complete without visiting London, and soon Paris, Germany, and the Netherlands might be added to the list.

Major League Baseball (MLB) has ambitious plans for Europe, starting with reintroducing the sport to England this weekend as the St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago Cubs face off in a two-game series in London.

In 2019, the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox made their debut in London, delivering a high-scoring game with six home runs and capturing the attention of fans. This success, along with the positive response to the World Baseball Classic, has motivated MLB to expand its presence in the region. The United Kingdom, particularly London, has been identified as a crucial entry point for MLB’s expansion into Europe.

While MLB recognizes that the United Kingdom is its largest European market in terms of broadcast revenue, merchandise sales, and digital subscribers, it acknowledges that it trails behind countries like Mexico, Japan, South Korea, China, and Australia. However, there has been an increase in interest in baseball among British sports fans, with the league citing a rise from 4% in 2019 to 5.9% in 2022. MLB’s social media channels in Europe have also experienced significant growth, with over triple the number of followers since the 2019 series, reaching 452,000.

The success of the New York-Boston series played a significant role in the BBC signing a deal to broadcast a selection of MLB games in the United Kingdom. The league’s lead broadcaster in the U.K., BT Sport, also renewed its agreement to air 15 games per season.

MLB has a history of staging games outside of the United States, with previous events in Mexico, Tokyo, Australia, and Mexico City. The league is considering playing games in Paris in 2025, as the Yankees are actively lobbying for it. London has already been confirmed for a series in 2023 and 2026.

The Netherlands, with its baseball popularity in Aruba and Curacao, and Italy have notable national teams in Europe, while the Czech Republic is showing improvement. Germany, which has become the NFL’s primary European market, boasts a significant U.S. military presence and has produced several MLB players.

MLB eyes London series as ‘jumping-off point’ for push into Europe

MLB acknowledges the challenges of hosting games in Europe due to the logistical effort required and the deviation from the regular season schedule. Nonetheless, the league believes it is crucial to bring live game content to the European market. MLB intends to focus on priority markets but remains open to rotating venues, including Germany, the Netherlands, France, and the United Kingdom.

Finding suitable venues presents a challenge, but Olympic-style, multiuse stadiums such as Stade de France are among the options being considered. MLB has a longstanding connection with Britain, with exhibitions dating back to 1874, and is exploring new marketing opportunities for individual teams abroad.

Having a star player from a particular country is seen as vital for generating interest and revenue in that market. While MLB has yet to make significant inroads into Europe, the success of British prospect Harry Ford in the World Baseball Classic and his selection by the Seattle Mariners in the 2021 draft has sparked hope for the future.

For now, all eyes are on the games taking place at London Stadium, with MLB optimistic that this is just the beginning of a long journey connecting Major League Baseball to the United Kingdom and the rest of Europe.

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