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MLB has aggressive ambitions to build an international fan base but appears to have suffered a significant blow to its efforts.
Plans to play multiple regular-season games in Paris during the 2025 season are being called off, according to the Associated Press.
Games in France were approved as part of the 2022 collective bargaining agreement, but the league has been struggling to find a local promoter for the series and was facing financial concerns, per the report. MLB hasn’t said anything publicly about canceling the Paris games, but the decision was said to have been made during this week’s owners meetings in Arlington.
The New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox — who played each other in the inaugural London Series back in 2019 — had been among the teams expressing interest in playing in Paris. MLB had not yet settled on a venue for the series. Unlike the NFL, NBA, and NHL, MLB has yet to play on continental Europe.
Around The World
The 2024 MLB season is set to open in South Korea and visit two additional countries:
- Seoul: Los Angeles Dodgers-San Diego Padres, March 20-21
- Mexico City: Houston Astros-Colorado Rockies, April 27-28
- London: New York Mets-Philadelphia Phillies, June 8-9
The Red Sox and Tampa Bay Rays will also play spring training games in the Dominican Republic.
With the Paris series scheduled for 2025, the London series was set to take a year off before returning in 2026.
