Has London caught MLB fever with Trafalgar Square takeover?

As the Cardinals and Cubs prepare to play a two game series in London, MLB has pulled out all the stops in bringing the passion of America’s pastime to the British capital.

With game one on Saturday and game two on Sunday, the festivities kicked off with a popup takeover of Trafalgar Square by MLB, featuring food and beer stalls, batting and pitching cages, and of course merchandise for sale.

Crowds were healthy and flowing from the time the gate opened with about 700 people at any one time experiencing what the MLB had on offer. While the crowd were overwhelmingly American tourists, there was a healthy number of British fans sporting not only Cardinals and Cubs gear, but Brewers, Braves, Astros, and Blue Jays merchandise.

One American Cardinals fan said, “Coming to London to watch the game is the best chance that I have had in quite a few years. Plus I get to visit London!”

Another Cubs fan was spotted sporting a t-shirt that read, “I’d rather fly across the ocean than go to St Louis.”

One can only imagine that the American fans who have flown over will by and large be attending one or both games at London Stadium. For those who haven’t got tickets, however, and certainly for the curious British crowd, the games will both be broadcast live on a giant screen set up in Trafalgar Square for the event.

London hasn’t quite caught the baseball bug yet; more are interested in the second Ashes Test between England and Australian cricket teams starting on Wednesday; but the trickle of interest here today simply did not exist just five years ago. Perhaps by the time of next year’s London Series between the Mets and Phillies, that trickle will become a stream.

And what MLB is banking on is that, because a steady stream can flood at any time.