Major League Baseball (MLB) hosted a live baseball experience in the heart of London titled ‘Trafalgar Square Takeover’ in the form of a three-day festival celebrating the sport and promoting the two-game 2023 London Series between long-time rivals St. Louis Cardinals take on Chicago Cubs in the London Stadium.
The league teamed up with experiential agency Imagination to transform the UK capital’s iconic landmark into an extravagant baseball festival between 23 and 25 June
The initiative offered existing fans and first-timers a chance to experience multiple aspects of the sport and of baseball culture – from skill-focused challenges, to ball park food – couple with entertainment, an official merchandise pop-up, as well as a live screening of ‘MLB World Tour: London Series 2023’ presented by Capital One.
At the centre of the experiential initiative was the ‘Home Run Derby X – The Cage’: a new immersive digital baseball experience offering visitors an opportunity to slug home runs in a ‘dimension-defying new baseball game that blends real life and virtual gameplay using the latest ball tracking technology’. This saw fans enter a cage structure and hit physical baseballs which are then digitally visualised across the London skyline.
As well as the fans, it also hosted a showcase match featuring teams of MLB Legends – representing the Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, New York Yankees and St Louis Cardinals – and several stars from other sports and celebrities competing to be crowned Home Run Derby X The Cage Champions.
The free-to-attend experience, also enabled visitors to watch the two regular season live games between the Cardinals and the Cubs from London Stadium broadcast on three giant outdoor screens.
“The MLB London Series ‘Trafalgar Square Takeover’ is the latest in a series of high-octane in-person MLB fan engagements, a testament to the ever increasing appetite for live cultural experiences,” outlined Imagination Business Director Rob Day. “We’re extremely proud of our partnership with MLB and relish the opportunity to work with such brave clients who consistently want to challenge the status quo and defy conventions by reimagining new fan experiences. The ‘Trafalgar Square Takeover’ is a fusion of experience and culture, an authentic celebration of baseball – featuring the latest baseball experience, Home Run Derby X ‘ The Cage’ at its heart. This festival represents the latest collaboration in an eight year partnership, collectively striving to push the boundaries of fan engagement by blending physical and digital fan experiences.”
MLB Europe Managing Director Ben Ladkin added: “There will be no missing the MLB London Series when it returns for the first time since 2019. Taking over Trafalgar Square, an iconic London venue, is the perfect representation of the coming together of this uniquely American sport with a growing UK fan base. Whether you are an existing fan or a total novice, the event – featuring challenges, big screens, global stars and the full ballpark food experience – will have something for you. We’re sure that many fans for life will be created over the course of this unmissable weekend.”
Comment
This MLB Trafalgar Square Takeover boosted new and existing fan engagement through an energetic, multi-dimensional live experience which led to supporting digital storytelling.
Imagination has worked for the MLB since 2016 and has helped the league develop new baseball formats and experiential activities for players and fans to try, test, learn, experience and iterate.
Previous events include Europe’s first-ever Home Run Derby in 2017 and the London Yards experience in 2019 which ran alongside the London Series, as well as the inaugural ‘FTX MLB Home Run Derby X’ in 2022 in collaboration with crypto brand FTX.
This live experience followed on from April’s MLB London ‘Unmissable’ promotional and ticket sales drive campaign.
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