MLB CMO Uzma Rawn Dowler said the league viewed the FIFA World Cup coming to the U.S. as an opportunity, not a threat.
“Why would we not want to capitalize on the audience that is here in our clubs’ backyards to really leverage that and target those fans to experience what it means to be at a baseball game?” Dowler told SBJ.
That strategy was especially on full display June 14, as the Red Sox capitalized by having Scottish Heritage Day the day after Scotland defeated Haiti for its first World Cup win in 28 years. The Tartan Army of about 5,000 fans took over Fenway Park, turning it into a party-like atmosphere with singing and chanting. “Our clubs have been really nimble,” Dowler said.
Sunday’s final, which ended with Spain defeating defending champion Argentina, was shown on the jumbotron at Yankee Stadium as Dodgers DH/P Shohei Ohtani was tossing in the outfield between Game 1 and 2 of a doubleheader.
Two years ago the league began talking with FIFA as it worked through scheduling the 2026 MLB season, MLB SVP/Global Operations & Events Jeremiah Yolkut said, knowing that there would be some conflicts. For example, the Royals had a rare Saturday off due to an Ecuador-Curacao match taking place at neighboring Arrowhead Stadium. MLB and its teams could then leverage opportunities around baseball with those fans already in town.
The league also let FIFA know for Fox broadcast reasons and Philadelphia logistical reasons that it needed to load in the July 10-14 All-Star festivities at Citizens Park the week prior. The final match at Lincoln Financial Field was on July 4.
As far as ticket sales, MLB worked with FIFA on cross promotion where MLB games were listed in the FIFA Tournament app along with links to single-game ticket packages; a dozen clubs participated. Likewise, a FIFA banner ad was placed in the ballpark for those 12 teams.
On the TV front, MLB benefited from viewership boosts via World Cup lead-ins in the June 20 regional window in primetime; the All-Star Game selection show on Fox; and the Midsummer Classic, also on Fox.
With the tournament ending, Yolkut said there is long-term global upside regarding corporate partnerships, overseas viewership and possibly returning to the U.S. to see baseball again. Even fans wearing team hats in their respective countries has a residual impact. And, of course, perhaps countries wanting baseball to come to them, even for exhibition-type events.
“Whether it’s MLBx: 3-on-3 or something else, for us to take some of the findings and insights that we are hopefully going to gather coming out of the World Cup of where we’ve seen fanbases leaning in in specific markets to see where that could help drive or inform some of (our) thinking,” Dowler said.
