Baseball Makes Its Product International

Baseball is expanding again.

No, not the current structure of the major leagues, which features two 15-team circuits of three divisions each. The new expansion is happening overseas, with America’s national pastime planning games in London, Paris, Japan, Mexico City, the Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico.

It’s part of the new Basic Agreement, a five-year deal owners and players okayed in March. The international aspect was obscured by changes made to the game’s internal structure, such as expanding the designated hitter to both leagues for the first time.

Less than two months after signing that agreement, which followed a 99-day lockout by owners, Major League Baseball owners took the first steps toward playing more official games in Europe.

The Office of the Commissioner of Baseball announced earlier this week it would hold mini-series in London in 2023, 2024, and 2026 following the successful debut of the American game there three years ago in June.

That’s when the New York Yankees swept the Boston Red Sox, 12-8 and 17-13, in a two-game series held at West Ham ground in a sold-out Olympic Stadium packed with curious spectators. A total of 118,000 fans saw 65 hits, including 10 home runs, at the hitter-friendly field.

“It felt like a soccer match,” said Netherlands native Didi Gregorius, who then played shortstop for the Yankees. “It was a crazy atmosphere.”

Future games were scrubbed because of the Covid-19 pandemic but the London Series is likely to resume with the scheduled 2020 participants, the St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago Cubs.

“Our long-term partnership with Major League Baseball is ambitious and includes regular-season games as well as a legacy program designed to grow the number of Londoners watching and playing baseball at a grassroots level in London,” said London Mayor Sadiq Khan. “These games will be a fantastic opportunity to once again showcase the London Stadium as a multi-use venue and a fantastic asset for the capital.”

The resumption of the London Series is the result of a partnership that involves the MLB London Legacy Group, the Greater London Authority, and Baseball Softball UK.

Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred, whose office is working to create awareness and enthusiasm for baseball overseas, said the success of the first series sparked a desire for more.

“It was clear that sports fans in London had a great appetite for baseball and that passion was shared by Mayor Khan as well as the business and media community,” he said.

The second game of the initial London Series drew 59,659 paying spectators but crowds could be even larger when baseball comes to Paris three years from now.

Games would be played at Stade de France, which has a capacity of 80,000. Opened in 1998, it is home to the French national soccer and rugby teams.

Reuters reported late last week that the Los Angeles Dodgers are involved in talks that would make them one of the participants. The identity of their opponent is not yet known.

The Dodgers were apparently selected because of their perennial success and popularity beyond U.S. borders. They have already played regular-season games in Sydney, Australia as well as Monterrey, Mexico.

Other U.S.-based sports entities have already announced plans to invade Paris. The National Basketball Association will play an official game in Paris next year, a year before the Olympic Games arrive in 2024.

Major League Baseball has been planning and promoting international play ever since the first official games were played out of North America in 1996, when the San Diego Padres and New York Mets met in a three-game series in Monterrey, Mexico.

The Mets and Cubs opened the 2000 season in the Tokyo Dome and several subsequent series were also played in Japan.

One of the most emotional, for Japanese fans, was the 2019 return of retiring superstar Ichiro Suzuki, then 45 years old. A long-time star of the Orix Blue Wave before signing with the Seattle Mariners, he hugged each of his coaches and teammates before revealing his retirement from professional baseball.

American-style baseball made its Australian debut on March 22, 2014, when the Dodgers opened their season by starting a two-game sweep of the Arizona Diamondbacks. The action took place on the Sydney Cricket Ground as 38,266 fans watched.

The Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, a U.S. territory that sent Roberto Clemente and many other standouts to the majors, has hosted 49 games – all but six of them “home games” for the attendance-starved Montreal Expos (since relocated to Washington as the Nationals). Estadio Hiram Bithorn, in the capital of San Juan, served as the host ballpark.

Not surprisingly, international games have featured feats and records of all kinds. On May 4, 2018, fans in Monterrey saw a combined no-hitter by four Los Angeles Dodgers against the San Diego Padres. The game of March 21, 2019 was not only Ichiro’s last game but also the only extra-inning game staged outside North America.

Other international sites also seem certain to receive consideration. Exhibition games have already been played in China, Cuba, and Taiwan, with Mexico City in the mix too. A two-game, regular-season series between San Diego and Arizona scheduled for Mexico City in 2020 fell victim to the pandemic.

Bringing the game to international destinations has obvious financial implications, with sales not only of tickets but also of trinkets from hats to jerseys plus parking and ballpark concessions. Players get bonuses for any games played beyond established league confines.