Major League Baseball’s Debut in Europe by the Numbers

July 3rd, 2019

The first two Major League Baseball games played in Europe featuring the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox resulted in 50 runs and 65 hits. But the Mitel & MLB Present London Series generated a set of unique numbers off-the-field as well.

All-Time

Merchandise sales record for an MLB International event for one day and series at a single venue. The London Series also surpassed three-day MLB All-Star merchandise sales figures dating back to the 2008 All-Star Game in New York.

13.95 million

Impressions on MLB London Series social media channels during the week of the event

118,718

Attendance total for the two games in London.

59,659

Attendance for the first MLB game ever played in Europe, the largest attended MLB game ever played on international soil. It was also the most attended MLB game since 2003.

14,729

Attendees of London Yards, a baseball-themed festival featuring interactive events, virtual reality, music, and food from Boston and New York.

10,276

Attendees of PLAY BALL Park, the hub for youth-focused baseball and softball activities in London situated next to London Stadium.

8,000

Bags of Cracker Jack were shipped to the U.K. totaling 280 kg (617 pounds).

2,000

Fans who swung for the fences by playing the special London Series-edition of the MLB Home Run Derby Virtual Reality (VR) video game

613

Media credentials issued for the London Series

with media representatives from 21 countries & territories.

208

Percent increase of new MLB At Bat app downloads across Europe in 2019 vs. 2018

194

Countries and territories that the London Series was broadcast to.

136

Percent increase of daily active users from the UK on MLB.com. 

123

Percent increase of daily sessions from the UK on the MLB At Bat app.

100+

Teams that registered to participate in MLB Softball60, an adapted version of softball, which doesn’t require a formal diamond, umpires or coaching.

90

Players from 13 countries throughout Europe participated in the Elite European Development Tournament, which was attended by scouts from nearly every Major League team.

73

Percent follower increase for @MLBLondonSeries over the week of the event.

70

Percent of tickets sold to people in the UK, with 20 percent sold to people in the U.S., and 10 percent to people from the rest of the world.

50

Schools in the UK participating in the “Fun At Bat” program reaching thousands of students in the introductory bat and ball program.

10

Invictus Games competitors were joined on the field by the Patron of the Invictus Games Foundation, His Royal Highness, The Duke of Sussex and Her Royal Highness, The Duchess of Sussex, ahead of the first pitch.

#1

Worldwide trending topic on Twitter for #LondonSeries during two hours of the first game

1

Engagement of a Bronx couple at London Stadium during the first game

About Major League Baseball

Major League Baseball (MLB) is the most historic professional sports league in the United States and consists of 30 member clubs in the U.S. and Canada, representing the highest level of professional baseball. Major League Baseball is the best-attended sport in North America, and since 2004, MLB has enjoyed its best-attended seasons in the history of the game. Led by Commissioner Robert D. Manfred, Jr., MLB currently features record levels of labor peace, competitive balance and industry revenues, as well as the most comprehensive drug-testing program in American professional sports. MLB remains committed to making an impact in the communities of the U.S., Canada and throughout the world, perpetuating the sport’s larger role in society and permeating every facet of baseball’s business, marketing and community relations endeavors. With the continued success of MLB Network and MLB digital platforms, MLB continues to find innovative ways for its fans to enjoy America’s National Pastime and a truly global game. For more information on Major League Baseball, visit www.MLB.com.