MLB Hits The Pitch With Wrexham AFC For ’24 World Tour London Series
Wednesday, April 17, 2024 at 08:01PM By Barry Janoff
April 17, 2024: To help ensure that the MLB World Tour: London Series gets maximum coverage and eyeballs, MLB has joined with More Better Industries, under the auspices of Rob McElhenney — Wrexham AFC co-chairman, actor and Philadelphia Phillies fan — “to show the U.K. what America's Favorite Pastime, Baseball, is all about.”
The MLB World Tour: London Series is scheduled for June 8-9, when the New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies play a two-game series in London Stadium.
A multi-media campaign released today is anchored by a humorous spot, “MLB Comes To A Wrexham Match."
In it, MLB Network's Matt Vasgersian and Wrexham announcer Mark Griffiths use baseball terms during a Wrexham soccer match: ceremonial first pitch, mascot races (featuring the actual Mets and Phillies mascots), Jumbotron (with a guest appearance by Jimmy Kimmel), "he's hit by the ptich," “he digs in at the plate,” “runners at first and third” and “walk-off home run penalty kick to end the game.”
Although Wrexham fans seem somewhat confused, the spot offers, “One thing that baseball and football do have in common: exciting endings.”
“I didn't know the first thing about football," McElhenney said via MLB regarding his acquisition of Wrexham AFC with Ryan Reynolds in 2020.
“It's a childhood dream to partner with Major League Baseball and share my love of America's Favorite Pastime with the world."
Led by founder McElhenney, More Better Industries said it “uses the power of storytelling to make entertainment, advertising, venture, technology and sports: More Better.”
"Rob and his team at More Better understand true fandom and how the universal stories that come from the love of sport can translate across oceans and cultures.,” Ben Ladkin, managing director for MLB Europe, said via the league.
“We look forward to seeing all the different types of fans come together this June to experience the excitement of the games, and we look forward to continuing to tell those stories together in the future."
As part of Wrexham AFC’s success on the field — including its recent second successive promotion, taking the club to EFL League One, the third tier of the English football system — the club has attracted major brands, including jersey-front sponsor United Airlines, Vistaprint, HP and just-signed Gatorade for both the Men's and Women's teams as its ‘official hydration partner.”
According to McElhenney and Reynolds, as part of the partnership, people will see Gatorade on the sidelines of all Wrexham AFC games and the integration of Gatorade products within FX's Welcome to Wrexham third season, premiering May 2.
The London Series is part of the MLB World Tour, created to bring Major League teams and players to a global fan base.
It is the league's and the MLBPA's largest international plan, featuring as many as 24 regular-season games and as many as 16 exhibition games played in Asia, Europe, Mexico, and Latin America through the 2026 season.
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