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- MLB to “overindex” on investment in India, UK, Germany, China and Mexico
- Brazil and Colombia on professional baseball league’s “watchlist”
Major League Baseball (MLB) has a “long-term opportunity” in India, according to Jim Small, the league’s senior vice president of international.
Speaking on the opening day of the SportsPro Live 2020 virtual summit, Small explained that MLB divides its international target markets into three categories.
He described India as one of five key international growth markets – alongside the UK, Germany, China and Mexico – where MLB will “over index” on its investment over the next ten years.
“That doesn’t mean we’re not going to do things in France, or Italy, or other places,” Small said, “but we’re going to over index in those places.”
Small, who previously served as MLB’s vice president in Asia, added that India’s passion for cricket makes it a particularly unique opportunity for the North American baseball league.
“Every market is different, every culture is different,” Small said. “For India, the opportunity is bat and ball. There are very few sports in the world where you throw a ball, catch a ball, and hit a ball. It’s cricket, baseball, and softball.”
He added: “India just gives us so much opportunity. It’s in many ways a blank slate. When you look at what’s happening in India right now with the growth of sport…it’s such a wonderful, long-term opportunity.
“We have a chance to go in and make some smart investments. Our belief is that everyone in India is a baseball fan, they just don’t know it yet. I’m really excited about all five [of our growth markets]. I’m really excited about India.”
Small described the second category as “traditional baseball markets” such as Japan, Korea, the Caribbean, Taiwan and Australia.
“Then there’s everything else,” Small continued. “Everything else we have on a watchlist.
“Brazil is a place we’re really interested in. We have four players from Brazil playing in the major leagues. We think that there is long-term opportunity there. We have players from Colombia, and that is an interest to us.
“But really what we’re doing is over indexing on those growth markets, keeping an eye on everything else and nurturing the markets where we have a strong position.”
Major League Baseball (MLB) has a “long-term opportunity” in India, according to Jim Small, the league’s senior vice president of international.
Speaking on the opening day of the SportsPro Live 2020 virtual summit, Small explained that MLB divides its international target markets into three categories.
He described India as one of five key international growth markets – alongside the UK, Germany, China and Mexico – where MLB will “over index” on its investment over the next ten years.
“That doesn’t mean we’re not going to do things in France, or Italy, or other places,” Small said, “but we’re going to over index in those places.”
Small, who previously served as MLB’s vice president in Asia, added that India’s passion for cricket makes it a particularly unique opportunity for the North American baseball league.
“Every market is different, every culture is different,” Small said. “For India, the opportunity is bat and ball. There are very few sports in the world where you throw a ball, catch a ball, and hit a ball. It’s cricket, baseball, and softball.”
He added: “India just gives us so much opportunity. It’s in many ways a blank slate. When you look at what’s happening in India right now with the growth of sport…it’s such a wonderful, long-term opportunity.
“We have a chance to go in and make some smart investments. Our belief is that everyone in India is a baseball fan, they just don’t know it yet. I’m really excited about all five [of our growth markets]. I’m really excited about India.”
Small described the second category as “traditional baseball markets” such as Japan, Korea, the Caribbean, Taiwan and Australia.
“Then there’s everything else,” Small continued. “Everything else we have on a watchlist.
“Brazil is a place we’re really interested in. We have four players from Brazil playing in the major leagues. We think that there is long-term opportunity there. We have players from Colombia, and that is an interest to us.
“But really what we’re doing is over indexing on those growth markets, keeping an eye on everything else and nurturing the markets where we have a strong position.”
