As part of baseball’s new CBA, which was finally made public in full on Friday after being originally agreed upon in November, there are extensive details on MLB’s international expansion efforts.
MLB is planning games in Asia, Mexico, and England over the next few years
The plan also includes various international spring training trips.
Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images
Specifically, attempts to widen the league’s fanbases in Asia, England, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic between 2018 and 2021.
As the AP reports, in 2018 the league is planning a season opening series somewhere in Asia but some sources have said that based on the current timing that series will probably not come to fruition. In April of next year, a series between Cleveland and Minnesota in Puerto Rico has been confirmed for the 17th and 18th. There will also be a series in Mexico in April.
For 2019, the season will open in Japan and include another Mexico trip, as well as a planned game in London’s Olympic Stadium. At this point, the teams involved are allegedly the Yankees and Sox.
One strong fan base won’t always be enough for fans to turn out in a foreign country, so scheduling a rivalry to kick off a presence in England makes sense.
For 2020, the season will once again start in Asia although no confirmed country has been specified as the locale right now. Throughout the year there will once again be a series in Mexico, as well as in Puerto Rico or the Dominican Republic that spring.
2021, the final year outlined in the current CBA, is expected to also include a series in Mexico during the spring months. In addition, each year of the deal will include spring training trips to Mexico (2018 and 2020) and Puerto Rico or the Dominican Republic (2019).
On top of all those plans the league is also planning post-World Series tours in Japan (2018 and 2020) plus either either Asia or Mexico in 2019.
Players will be receiving compensation for the extra travel and special events, starting at $5,000 for international spring training appearances, $60,000 for in-season trips to Asia or England, and $15,000 for in-season trips to Mexico, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic.
On top of the regular-season money, any post-season trips will pay out $100,000 for a stint in Japan, $50,000 for anywhere else in Asia, and $25,000 for a tour of Mexico.
The league making such a strong push into international markets (mimicking NBA and NFL strategies in the last decade) is smart if they hope to grow the game further, and paying the players handsomely for the extra travel responsibilities is also smart.
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