London Stadium to host baseball matches in 2019
Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred hopes next years landmark showdowns between the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees at the London Stadium can be the start of a long affinity between the sport and the capital.
In what will be the MLBs first regular-season matches in Europe, the Red Sox and Yankees will play each other in two games in 2019, with the fixtures set to be held on 29 and 30 June.
Baseball will follow in the footsteps of the NFL, which has played domestic clashes in London since 2007, staging 18 showdowns at Wembley and three at Twickenham, and has a 10-year deal with Tottenham to play games at their new stadium.
“We are bringing you one of the best rivalries in baseball,” said Manfred. “The stadium infrastructure in this city gives Major League Baseball every opportunity to put on a first-class event.
“We hope this series will be the beginning of a relationship with London that persists and a continuation of increasing exposure for Major League Baseball in Europe.”
London mayor Sadiq Khan welcomed the announcement and believes the presence of baseball can help make the troubled former Olympic Stadium and now home of West Ham United, which he took control of last year due to its huge losses, more financially viable.
“It cant be right that the taxpayer is currently subsidising the London Stadium,” said Khan. “The taxpayer contributed hugely to the stadium being built and the [2012] Olympics being the huge success they were.
“We have a Premier League club playing there, making huge profits, and taxpayers are subsidising that, and that cant be right. So its very important when its not the football season we try to generate revenues that will balance the books.
“We have concerts, athletics and next year we will have two baseball games in London.”
The London Stadium was considered as a venue for next years Cricket World Cup but was not one of the 11 stadia named as host grounds last month.
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