Major League Baseball (MLB) Eyes Expansion In India

MLB has opened its sixth international office in New Delhi, adding to locations in Mexico, Japan, China and London, which handles the league’s operations in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

“The country has huge potential for us, and we want to make sure that India is an important part of the ever-growing brand that is MLB,” said Jim Small, MLB’s senior vice president of international.

It is poised to launch the MLB First Pitch grassroots programme, giving school children in New Delhi, Bangalore and Mumbai an opportunity to learn about baseball through workshops led by the league’s international coaches.

MLB will also run its Million Dollar Arm contest, which began as a reality TV show and gives thousands of talented participants in India an opportunity to earn a trial with one of the league’s franchises.

Apart from grassroots campaigns, it will also stream a weekly free match on Facebook in India through the end of the regular season.

The MLB is the latest North American sports league to open an office in India, following the National Basketball Association (NBA), which operates its regional activities from Mumbai.