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History was made in 2019 when a regular season MLB game was played in Europe. The Boston Red Sox hosted the New York Yankees at the London Stadium, the venue used for the 2012 Summer Olympics.
The powerhouses of the MLB played two games across a weekend, with the Yankees coming on top in both of those fixtures. Just under 60,000 spectators were in the stadium for each of those matches, an encouraging number for the league.
Those games in London produced a great spectacle as it was two of the top baseball teams. As you can see with the best sports betting sites, the Yankees are the pre-season favourites, once again, to win the World Series. They are arguably the most well-known franchise in the league and both teams have a reputation that transcends the sport. Showcasing the very best players and teams in the MLB was a good move from the league
In order to further increase the popularity of baseball and the MLB brand in Europe, the league must now build upon those matches. There are plans in place for teams to return to the London Stadium in the near future.
Consideration must now also be given across Europe, particularly in countries such as France and Germany. Some fans travelled to London for those games in 2019 but the league should look to extend their net wider.
Success Of NFL
The MLB were slow to the party when it comes to Europe. The NBA, and particularly the NFL, have really been a huge success in the continent over the last decade.
Over the last 10 years, there have been 24 regular season NFL games in London. These matches have been played at Wembley Stadium, Twickenham and the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. In some years there have been as many as four games played in the UK.
Given how popular the NFL now is in the UK, there have been some discussions around creating a franchise there in the near future. The Jacksonville Jaguars have been linked with a move to London, while a new team as part of an expansion to the league is also rumoured to be a possibility.
Mike Trout
Every sport in the world has a superstar and baseball’s main man in Mike Trout. Surprisingly though, Trout is not a household name in Europe, like he is in the USA.
The MLB should look to promote the three-time MVP quite heavily in the future. Booking him into television slots across Europe will really help his profile. The more people see his highlights reel, the better.
Trout is very good at selling the MLB. He could partner with some of the big sports names in Europe, just like the NFL have done with Harry Kane. Getting some of the biggest names to take part in cross-sport challenges will help both continents increase the popularity of their products.
In 10 years’ time, the MLB will be hoping the UK and other European countries can be a big part of the league. Who knows, there may even be talk about a franchise across the pond if they get it right.
