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MLB Expansion: London not realistic expansion target

By Ron Juckett |
LONDON, ENGLAND - JANUARY 02: General view of pitch preparation prior to the Premier League match between West Ham United and West Bromwich Albion at London Stadium on January 2, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by James Griffiths/West Ham United via Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - JANUARY 02: General view of pitch preparation prior to the Premier League match between West Ham United and West Bromwich Albion at London Stadium on January 2, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by James Griffiths/West Ham United via Getty Images)

Although it is great the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees will play in London next year, MLB expansion is a non-starter to Europe. Here is why.

As baseball dips a toe into the European mart, do not expect to hear London as a future target for MLB expansion.

Unlike the NFL’s rabid fascination with tapping the United Kingdom for a future franchise, it is not in Major League Baseball’s best interest to go that route. It could be done, but any non-North American team faces enormous hurdles.

Let’s start with the fan interest.

Baseball in the UK is a niche sport, like cricket is here. Two games between known teams is not the same as a mid-week series versus a bottom feeder in crappy weather. Although the thought of 60,000-plus watching the Boston Red Sox battle the New York Yankees sounds awesome, the largest crowd for the rivalry since at least 1973, but reality says is not normal.

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It takes generations to build a fan base. Look at the Florida teams and Arizona. Even Washington struggles despite their regular-season success. To expect Londoners to sit through average baseball is asking a lot. The game is not engrained in their culture like it is here.

There will be diehards. Most teams have UK fan clubs. Those folks stay up all night to watch their favorite clubs and love the game. But, when World Series games start past two in the morning, you take the game away from casual fans. You thought those 8:15 PM Eastern starts ran late.

If they could break through the casual fan barrier, then scheduling is a nightmare.

When the Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Giants re-settled in California, it was easy for the National League schedule makers. The Philadelphia Phillies would spend a week in Los Angeles and San Francisco before heading home. The formula remains similar today.

But, when the American League expanded to Los Angeles in 1961, the Angels were the only team west of Kansas City on the calendar. It was difficult to send the eastern teams out west for three days. From 1961 until 1967, they had no choice. Kansas City’s Athletics moved to Oakland, and AL teams could spend a week on the coast.

Any London team faces the same hurdle as the expansion-years Angels. Teams would travel to Europe for a three- or four-game set then fly home. Sure, London could spend two weeks in the states, but try drawing quality free agents when you are never home.

With the eight-hour difference between America’s West Coast and British Summer Time, imagine the television ratings in the UK for a London-San Francisco game starting at 3:15 AM. Not even Holly Willoughby’s perkiness could save that.

As a novelty and cash grab, regular season games before or after the All-Star Game in Europe are great. Introducing baseball to new fans is essential.

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But, Montreal, Mexico City, Monterrey, San Juan and, in time, Havana are better non-American targets for MLB expansion.

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