13 Jul 2016
MLB scraps plans to bring regular season game to London in 2017
BY Matthew Campelli
Major League Baseball (MLB) has scrapped plans to stage regular season games in London in 2017 – a decision which could impact the growth of the sport in Britain in the short-term.
Earlier this year, the MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said the organisation was “working hard” to stage regular season games in the UK capital, with East London’s Olympic Stadium mooted as a potential destination.
However, the chief legal officer of the MLB, Dan Halem, conceded that there was not enough time to agree a deal for the 2017 season, although talks were still ongoing. The body is keen to replicate the success of the National Football League (NFL), which has played regular season games in London to great effect since 2007.
The move may also have repercussions for the British governing body – BaseballSoftballUK – which was keen to see MLB matches occur in the country to boost awareness among British sports fans and to create interest around participation.
Talking to Sports Management, BaseballSoftballUK co-chief executive Jenny Fromer said that the body had been having “conversations” with MLB about the best approach to bringing the sport to the UK.
She added that the Olympic Stadium would have been a perfect location for the matches as it sits in an area of high social deprivation, giving BaseballSoftballUK the opportunity to engage with hard-to-reach demographics.
However, the consequences are likely to only be short-term as the MLB is understood to be working to make the matches happen as soon as is practically possible.
To read the full interview with Jenny Fromer, click here.
Close Window