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The World Cup is providing international soccer fans an opportunity to attend their first baseball game. To say they are enjoying themselves would be an understatement.
MLB stadiums are being taken over by large groups of World Cup fans, creating soccer-like atmospheres across the league.
Scotland’s fanbase, the Tartan Army, has attended multiple baseball games during the team’s time in the World Cup.
Their first appearance came in Boston at a Rangers-Red Sox game on June 14, the day after Scotland won its first World Cup game since 1990. It was Scottish Heritage Night at Fenway Park, with 4,000 people purchasing seats through an online promotion, which included a blue tartan Red Sox jersey. The Red Sox estimate an additional 1,500 to 2,000 fans from Scotland attended the game.
A six-day break in between games in Boston allowed the Tartan Army to travel to New York, and their next stop was Yankee Stadium on June 16. Hundreds of fans could be seen waving Scotland flags and cheering from the upper deck.
The fanbase’s biggest takeover was in Miami, with the Marlins welcoming roughly 8,000 members of the Tartan Army to loanDepot Park for Monday’s game against the Rangers. Total attendance for the game was 20,008, making it the most attended Monday Marlins game since 2017. The game was also one of the best-performing nights this season in terms of concession sales, according to a Marlins spokesperson.
Marlins players took notice of the atmosphere, with starter Tyler Phillips calling the experience “unbelievable.”
“If it was up to me, I would have us be paying those people to show up to the games,” Phillips said of the Tartan Army after the game. “Those people were awesome. The energy was phenomenal tonight.”
The Scottish fans aren’t the only fanbase to have attended an MLB game. About 400 Norwegians descended upon Citi Field Wednesday afternoon to watch Cubs-Mets. The group, which came together on Facebook, had fun all afternoon, dancing in the outfield seats and leading a “Viking row” celebration.
Other teams are leaning into World Cup fever as well. The Royals hosted Team England on June 18, with manager Thomas Tuchel throwing out the first pitch alongside captain Harry Kane. Kansas City has had buses bring World Cup fans to Royals games, as well as having a strong presence at the local Fan Fest.
MLB has also gotten directly involved, working with FIFA to take advantage of the cross-sport opportunities. A handful of stars like Juan Soto, Salvador Pérez, and Ronald Acuña Jr. have attended World Cup matches, as MLB works on campaigns to get soccer fans to baseball games.
As Round of 32 matchups start to solidify, World Cup fans can turn their attention toward finding the next ballpark to take over.
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