 That's not quite true. If you believe the MLB's figures, the number of its British fans actually doubled to around 2.5 million between 2019 and 2022. In 2019, the Boston Red Sox and record champions New York Yankees played the first of three series in London. According to Ben Ladkin, managing director of MLB Europe, the league has been trying to gain a foothold in the European sports market since 2017. Ladkin says the marketing strategy aims to keep the core brand authentic while adapting to the target market.