September 8, 200520 yr One of London's famous cricket venues has joined Major League Baseball's list of potential sites for regular-season games in 2007. After moving games to Mexico, Puerto Rico and Japan, baseball officials have met with representatives of the Surrey County Cricket Club, which runs The Oval cricket ground in south London. Wet, chilly weather in the spring could make an opening-season game difficult, but a game later in the season is possible. ??Major League Baseball is very interested in playing games in Europe,'' baseball senior vice president Paul Archey said Thursday. ??We're investigating possibilities in Europe where we may be able to play regular-season games as early as the 2007 season.'' Archey, who is in the Netherlands for baseball's World Cup, said other venues in Europe being considered included Rome; Paris; Munich, Germany; and Amsterdam and Rotterdam in the Netherlands. Baseball officials inspected Rome's Olympic Stadium in April 2003. Archey said northern European venues presented weather problems early in the season. ??There's a lot of interest in us playing in London, and I think selling tickets would be the easiest part of it,'' Archey said. The World Baseball Classic, a 16-nation event organized by Major League Baseball and its players' association, is to be played next year in March in the United States, Asia and Latin America. Baseball officials say the next regular-season games moved to an international site are likely to be in 2007. The New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Devil Rays opened the 2004 season with two games in Tokyo, the second pair of regular-season games in Japan. In addition, the Montreal Expos played some games in San Juan for the second straight season in 2004 before the franchise moved to Washington, D.C. Source: AP
September 8, 200520 yr I'm for games in Europe, but it'd create a real problem for the players in terms of jet lag. After seeing what it did to Yanks & D-Rays last year when they opened in Japan, I'm not sure it's worth it.
September 8, 200520 yr They were considering this last year for a future season with the Marlins (being the only team with a camp in Europe) playing in Rome for a July series.
September 8, 200520 yr It'd be awesome to see a big league game in Europe. Topless cheerleaders, good beer, hot European females asking how the game works, etc.
September 8, 200520 yr thats the most retarded thing ive ever heard. almost as stupid as putting nfl games in mexico. ugh when will they learn that there american teams let them play in america!!!
September 8, 200520 yr Topless cheerleaders, hot European females 935379[/snapback] Thats all I need to know.. *gets ready for Europe*
September 8, 200520 yr thats the most retarded thing ive ever heard. almost as stupid as putting nfl games in mexico. ugh when will they learn that there american teams let them play in america!!! 935503[/snapback] It's called "expanding your market". There are only 300 million people in the USA. There are another 5.8 billion people on the planet and companies want their money.
September 8, 200520 yr thats the most retarded thing ive ever heard. almost as stupid as putting nfl games in mexico. ugh when will they learn that there american teams let them play in america!!! 935503[/snapback] Just look at Man U, it was bought by an American, not because he had a real passion for soccer but because the euro's love it and it makes a ton of money. If you can possibly get Europe hooked on Baseball the way they do Soccer, their's an obsene amount of money to be made. They're testing the waters and seeing if it's viable, I have no problem with that.
September 9, 200520 yr It'd be awesome to see a big league game in Europe. Topless cheerleaders, good beer, hot European females asking how the game works, etc. 935379[/snapback] You know MLB & the American media that would be covering the event would water down the whole thing. A baseball game in europe would closer resemble a Wimbledon match more than a soccer game.
September 9, 200520 yr It'd be awesome to see a big league game in Europe. Topless cheerleaders, good beer, hot European females asking how the game works, etc. 935379[/snapback] You know MLB & the American media that would be covering the event would water down the whole thing. A baseball game in europe would closer resemble a Wimbledon match more than a soccer game. 936398[/snapback] That's why I'd go see the games in person.
September 9, 200520 yr thats the most retarded thing ive ever heard. almost as stupid as putting nfl games in mexico. ugh when will they learn that there american teams let them play in america!!! 935503[/snapback] Just look at Man U, it was bought by an American, not because he had a real passion for soccer but because the euro's love it and it makes a ton of money. If you can possibly get Europe hooked on Baseball the way they do Soccer, their's an obsene amount of money to be made. They're testing the waters and seeing if it's viable, I have no problem with that. 935627[/snapback] and you know how that turned out? ... riots, riots and riots ... rocks being thrown at the sons of the guy and all types of media especulations against the whole thing. The guy doesnt even know anything about soccer, the players in Manchester United or the history. Im sure he even got pissed once he found out that David Beckham isnt on the team anymore but about MLB in Europe ... heck im all for it, i get 0 coverage over there, and im flying back in a about 10 days. So if the fish make the playoffs i get zippo If they are taking baseball to europe it should defenatly stay over in the north, as it might be the only market that might actually support this ... I dont think the french, spaniards, greek and italians would give a flying F. about it. but thats just my opinion
September 9, 200520 yr sweet. i hope we become europe's team. i already have one team that is basically the global team of its sport, i'm game for adding another.
September 10, 200520 yr Woohoo!!! This idea has been rumoured for about 5 years now, any people in the UK will know that Jonny Gould (TV Presenter on baseball in the UK) has spoken of this often, with the oval the only real venue available, also its close proximity to london. I for one will definitely be there, though I think you guys can expect more of a cricket atmosphere than a football crowd, ie very drunk but well behaved.
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