International Home Runs: Major League Baseball Back in London...
Last weekend, MLB returned to London as part of the MLB World Tour. MLB have a great opportunity here with their London Series, here's how they can maximise it...
Major League Baseball (MLB) is expanding its global reach and making history by bringing America's beloved pastime to the vibrant city of London. On Saturday 24th and Sunday 25th, the St Louis Cardinals played the Chicago Cubs, a long lasting rivalry. Over 100,000 fans packed out the London Stadium, which went through an 18 day transformation to become a state of the art ballpark. There was also an MLB takeover in Trafalgar Square celebrating the best of baseball culture.
The MLB London Series was introduced in 2019, where the New York Yankees faced off against the Boston Red Sox. The arrangement was initially for two years, 2019 and 2020 but due to the pandemic the game was pushed back to 2023. London is a city with a rich sporting culture and enthusiastic fanbase, so the league choosing to bring baseball to the London Stadium was a good way of extending its international footprint.
By showcasing their talent on an international stage, MLB will attract new fans, engage a broader audience, and cultivate a truly global following for baseball. This will undoubtedly lead to an increase in the league's international fanbase. By exposing European audiences to the excitement and drama of baseball, MLB are able to engage with a previously untapped market, create lifelong fans and engage with their already established fans across the pond.
I do feel like MLB missed a trick by not localising their marketing to pull in casual fans like myself. Fans that are aware of baseball, participate in baseball through purchasing baseball merchandise but don’t keep up with the happenings in baseball. Giving London based content creators free reign to create a series of funny and entertaining baseball content that casual fans can relate to, would draw the casual fan closer.
Funny and entertaining short form content is winning the attention of Gen Z even in baseball. The baseball team, The Savannah Bananas are killing TikTok with their fun, expressive and creative content, they are able to make baseball fun and give their fans a full experience. Even me, as someone who doesn’t watch baseball, I find their content very entertaining and would love to watch one of their games live. They are now selling out stadiums compared to some struggling Major League Baseball teams.
Using baseball fashion as a vehicle to drive more people in, it would have been great to see a collaboration between New Era and Major League Baseball, especially as baseball caps are very trendy within Gen Z culture today. Local activations with grassroots community is also a way MLB's presence in London can inspire young athletes from the UK and Europe to explore baseball as a viable career option. By nurturing talent beyond traditional baseball strongholds, the league can diversify its player pool and increase its global presence.
All in all, Major League Baseball did a great job creating an experience for their current fanbase, but also have a great opportunity to convert casual fans into fully fledged fans through creating different touch points for them to get more involved with the sport. Sports have an incredible power to foster cultural exchange and bring people from different backgrounds together. The MLB London Series presents a unique opportunity for fans on both sides of the Atlantic to connect, share their love for the game, and celebrate the spirit of sportsmanship.
In October, we have the National Football League (NFL) returning to London, to play at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. I look forward to seeing how they will go about expanding their audience and engaging with the casual American Football fan. I already have a bunch of ideas on how they could go about this by utilising British talent, our home sport football and adding a diverse localised perspective. I can’t wait to see what they have planned for the next activation and if we’re thinking similar things.
Have a great week!