MLB London Series

On May 8, 2018, MLB announced a two-year agreement to hold baseball games at the London Stadium during the 2019 and 2020 seasons. At that time, outside of the contiguous United States and Canada, MLB had previously held regular season games in Australia, Japan, Mexico and Puerto Rico,{{cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/major-league-baseball-to-bring-historic-yankees-red-sox-series-to-london-in-2019/c-275792334?tid=267537442|title=Yankees Red Sox Will Play In London In 2019|website=MLB.com|first=Niall|last=Gray|date=May 8, 2018|access-date=May 8, 2018}} and previously held spring training games in China,{{cite web|url=http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/events/china_series/y2008/|title=2008 MLB China Series|website=MLB.com|access-date=October 31, 2018}} but had never held any games in Europe. The National Football League (NFL) had similarly held regular-season games in London—primarily at Wembley—under the banner of the NFL London Games. The NFL developed a large fanbase in the United Kingdom, and as of 2018, the games at Wembley had attracted an average attendance of 85,031.{{cite web |title=NFL London Games Record Highest-Ever Average Attendance |url=https://www.newsweek.com/nfl-london-games-record-highest-ever-average-attendance-british-franchise-1193447 |website=Newsweek |date=October 30, 2018 |access-date=June 29, 2019}} The NBA similarly held games in London as part of its Global Games series.

Kelhem Salter, MLB's director of growth and strategy in the EMEA region, noted that Europe was a "key growth market" for the league, and that Londoners were "big event-goers" and frequently sell-out events held there.{{Cite news|url=http://www.sportspromedia.com/quick_fire_questions/mlb-london-games-yankees-red-sox-olympic-stadium-interview|title="We don't want to emulate the NFL and NBA": How MLB is planning to create its own London identity|work=SportsPro|access-date=November 13, 2018|language=en}} Unlike the other countries where MLB has held international games, baseball is not as popular and established in the United Kingdom. Salter explained that the league wanted to differentiate its efforts in London from those of other leagues, by emphasizing a "connection to culture and the culture of the specific cities that our teams represent" to engage with new fans. In May 2018, the league began a year-long cultural program entitled "The 108" (referring to the number of stitches on a standard baseball) to promote the London games, encompassing a series of zines profiling MLB teams, as well as "The 108 Sessions" — a series of live concert events at local venues featuring acts representing the teams' cities. The campaign was designed to "build a genuine dialogue and relationship with cultural scenes that reflect those of the MLB home cities."{{Cite web|url=https://www.complex.com/sports/2018/10/mlb-108-campaign|title=MLB Steps Up the Build to Its First Ever London Game by Launching 'The 108' Zine and Live Music Night|website=Complex|language=en|access-date=November 13, 2018}}

The inaugural series was played during the {{mlby|2019}} season between the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees, longtime divisional rivals.{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2018/jul/21/you-want-to-make-sure-you-get-it-right-baseballs-big-plans-for-london|title='You want to make sure you get it right': Baseball's big plans for London|last=Carpenter|first=Les|date=July 21, 2018|website=The Guardian|language=en|access-date=November 13, 2018}} A planned series in 2020 was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. On May 9, 2022, commissioner Rob Manfred and London mayor Sadiq Khan announced a long-term partnership between the league and the city including regular-season games in 2023, 2024 and 2026, along with other major events over a five-year period.{{cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/mlb-announces-long-term-partnership-with-london|title=MLB, London announce long-term partnership|first=Brian |last=Murphy|website=MLB.com|date=May 9, 2022|accessdate=May 9, 2022}}

{{main|2019 MLB London Series|Yankees–Red Sox rivalry}}

In June 2019, the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox played a two-game series, with the Red Sox the designated "home" team. The Yankees won the first game by a score of 17–13, and the second game by a score of 12–8.{{Cite web |date=2019-06-30 |title=Tradition: Comeback lifts Yanks to London sweep of Red Sox |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/recap?gameId=401075985 |access-date=2024-09-06 |website=ESPN |language=en |agency=Associated Press}}

The 2020 series was scheduled to take place June 13–14, at the London Stadium, with the St. Louis Cardinals hosting the Chicago Cubs.{{cite news |url=https://www.mlb.com/press-release/cardinals-cubs-mitel-mlb-london-series-2020 |title=St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago Cubs to play in Mitel & MLB London Series 2020 |website=MLB.com |date=June 7, 2019 |accessdate=May 10, 2022}} Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the games were cancelled. Commissioner Rob Manfred stated that "it was unlikely the events would go forward, and timely cancellation allowed us to preserve important financial resources". The start of the 2020 season was delayed due to the pandemic, and MLB cancelled other planned games in Puerto Rico and Mexico for similar reasons.{{Cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/28981187/mlb-cancels-cubs-cards-london-series-june|title=MLB cancels Cubs-Cardinals London series in June|date=April 1, 2020|website=ESPN.com|language=en|access-date=April 1, 2020}}

File:Team Mildenhall Airmen support MLB London Series (7883003).jpg

On August 4, 2022, the first matchup of the extended partnership between MLB and the City of London was announced, with the Cardinals and Cubs scheduled for a two-game series in London on June 24–25, 2023.{{cite news |url=https://www.cubshq.com/cubs-baseball/news/mlb-announces-that-cubs-will-play-cardinals-in-london-in-2023-30942 |title=MLB announces that Cubs will play Cardinals in London in 2023 |website=cubshq.com |date=August 4, 2022 |accessdate=August 6, 2022}}

In June 2023, the Cardinals and Cubs played a two-game series, with the Cardinals the designated "home" team. The Cubs won the first game by a score of 9–1, and the Cardinals won the second game by a score of 7–5, overcoming a 4-0 deficit after the 1st inning.{{cite news |last1=Axisa |first1=Mike |title=MLB London Series: Contreras has big game against former team, Cardinals erase early 4-0 deficit in Game 2 win |url=https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/mlb-london-series-contreras-has-big-game-against-former-team-cardinals-erase-early-4-0-deficit-in-game-2-win/ |access-date=July 25, 2023 |work=CBS Sports |date=June 25, 2023}}

File:London Stadium - Mets @ Phillies (53798920609).jpg

On June 23, 2023, it was announced that the 2024 series would involve the New York Mets and the Philadelphia Phillies, scheduled for June 8–9, 2024.{{cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/london-series-2024-will-be-mets-vs-phillies|title=2024 London Series will feature NL East rivalry in Mets-Phils|first=Todd |last=Zolecki|website=MLB.com|date=June 23, 2023|accessdate=June 23, 2023}}

The Mets and Phillies played a two game series, with the Mets as the designated home team for game 1 and the Phillies as the designated home team for game 2. The Phillies won the first game, 7–2, while the Mets won the second, 6–5.{{cite news |last= |first= |date= June 9, 2024|title= Mets beat Phillies to draw two-game London Series |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/baseball/articles/cj55n8d8j9vo.amp |work=BBC Sport |location= |access-date=July 5, 2024}}

Locating a venue with the correct dimensions required for a baseball field was difficult, especially as the majority of stadiums in the London region are primarily designed for soccer. MLB officials had evaluated multiple options (including cricket fields such as The Oval), before finalizing the London Stadium as the site. The facility was originally constructed for the 2012 Summer Olympics; in late-2015, it was reported that MLB officials had measured the stadium's dimensions and considered it potentially suitable for baseball, and had negotiated the possibility of holding games there.{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2015/dec/09/mlb-europe-london-olympic-stadium|title=MLB in Europe? London in the frame as baseball expands its horizons|last=Ferguson|first=Ryan|date=December 9, 2015|website=The Guardian|language=en|access-date=November 13, 2018}}

MLB developed a plan to adapt the London Stadium for the games to make it resemble an MLB ballpark, via installation of a new baseball field as an overlay on top of the stadium's existing running track and pitch, with a seating configuration to emulate the more "intimate" layout and fan experiences of MLB ballparks. Materials to construct the playing surface include approximately {{convert|142,000|sqft|sqm}} of FieldTurf, and clay for the pitcher's mound and home plate area sourced from Pennsylvania.{{cite news |url=https://nypost.com/2019/05/21/mlb-going-to-great-lengths-for-yankees-red-sox-series-in-london/ |title=MLB going to great lengths for Yankees-Red Sox series in London |agency=Associated Press |website=New York Post |date=May 21, 2019 |access-date=May 21, 2019}} As the facility's locker rooms are smaller and suited towards soccer, larger, MLB-style clubhouses were built within the stadium. As done at the Toronto Blue Jays' Rogers Centre, dimensions from home plate were posted in both feet and meters: {{convert|330|ft|m|1}} to the foul poles and 385 feet (117.4 m) to center field, with a {{convert|16|ft|m|adj=on}} fence. The dimensions were described as being potentially hitter-friendly.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/08/sports/baseball/yankees-red-sox-london.html|title=Yankees-Red Sox Games in London Next June Could Be Home Run Derbies|work=The New York Times |date=May 8, 2018 |url-access=limited|access-date=November 14, 2018|language=en |last1=Witz |first1=Billy }} The two points in left center and right center where the temporary fences join the wall in center field area are slightly closer than center, marked as {{convert|382|ft|m|1}}. As the roof overhangs the home plate area, there is a ground rule that balls hitting the roof are considered dead.{{cite news |url=https://www.nhregister.com/news/article/High-cheese-comes-to-land-of-high-tea-Yanks-vs-14059130.php |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190629015459/https://www.nhregister.com/news/article/High-cheese-comes-to-land-of-high-tea-Yanks-vs-14059130.php |url-status=dead |archive-date=June 29, 2019 |title=High cheese comes to land of high tea: Yanks vs Red Sox |first=Ronald |last=Blum |agency=AP |website=New Haven Register |date=June 28, 2019 |access-date=June 28, 2019}}

For the 2023 series, the dimensions were extended by a few feet, to {{convert|387|ft|m|0}} in the power alleys and {{convert|392|ft|m|1}} to center field.{{Cite web|url=https://www.sportskeeda.com/baseball/news-what-mlb-london-series-field-dimensions-london-stadium-transformed-ballpark-chicago-cubs-vs-st-louis-cardinals-rivalry|title=What are MLB London Series' field dimensions? London stadium transformed into ballpark for Chicago Cubs vs St. Louis Cardinals rivalry|first=Adrian|last=Dorney|date=June 24, 2023|website=www.sportskeeda.com}}

In the United States, television rights for both series were split between Fox and ESPN. Fox would broadcast the Saturday afternoon game, and ESPN the Sunday afternoon game, with ESPN's broadcast typically produced as a special afternoon presentation of Sunday Night Baseball.{{Cite web|url=https://sports.yahoo.com/fox-espn-broadcast-game-london-151851869.html|title=Fox, ESPN will each broadcast a game of the London Series|website=sports.yahoo.com|language=en-US|access-date=January 2, 2019}}

In the United Kingdom, the series will be shown by BBC Sport until 2026 and also on TNT Sports.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/baseball/62994479|title=Yankees v Red Sox: BBC to show Major League Baseball games|work=BBC Sport |date=September 22, 2022 |language=en-UK|access-date=21 October 2022}}

• List of Major League Baseball games played outside the United States and Canada

{{reflist|30em}}

• [https://www.mlb.com/international/london-series London Series] at MLB.com

{{Major League Baseball}}

{{Baseball in Britain}}

{{MLB on Fox}}

{{ESPN Major League Baseball}}

{{Major League Baseball on ESPN Radio}}

Category:Baseball competitions in the United Kingdom

MLB

London

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Category:Events at the London Stadium