China could host MLB games in 2008
01/06/2007 |
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BEIJING, June 1 (Reuters) - China could host Major League Baseball games as early as 2008 but popularising the sport in the country is a long-term challenge, MLB President Bob DuPuy said on Friday.
DuPuy, who arrived in China this week with a delegation of baseball officials to discuss boosting the sport's profile in China, said it would take time, money and patience to put baseball in the spotlight in China.
"There is a very serious chance we will be playing games here next year," DuPuy said at a news conference in Beijing.
"It's our goal to work with them to make sure at least one stadium will stay as a showcase for baseball (after the Olympics)."
China has ramped up its domestic game in recent years and sent its American-coached team to play in the United States in a bid to be more competitive at the 2008 Olympics.
Baseball has minimal television coverage in China and crowds of less than 100 turn up to watch professional league games.
DuPuy said the MLB had earmarked funds to help develop baseball in China, but said it was "too soon" to talk about specific programmes.
"The important thing is to begin the process. It's hard work, it's time and it's exposure," DuPuy said.
"Nothing in baseball moves all that rapidly. It took us 20 years to get the World Baseball Classic, it took us 100 years to get into the Olympics.
Now we've got to get back into it."
The International Olympic Committee voted in 2005 to remove baseball after the 2008 Games. The earliest the sport could be reinstated would be in time for the 2016 Games.
(Source: Guardian.co.uk)
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