17/03/2021 2 Minute Read

MLB game in Spain? Spanish Baseball Softball Federation President Lisarri dreams of it

Lisarri: “We want to come up with a team that at some point will make a splash by becoming European champions.”

Jesus Lisarri was elected President of the Royal Spanish Baseball Softball Federation (RFEBS - Real Federación Española de Béisbol y Softbol) this past December. During the first months of his tenure, he has laid out his goals and strategies for his administration, including his biggest aspiration: “One of our big dreams is to host an MLB game in Spain, like the meeting between the Yankees and the Red Sox in London in 2019."

He says Barcelona or Madrid could be potential sites.

During an interview with Marca (one of the most prominent sport newspapers in the country), Lisarri said baseball and softball have a lot to offer to society in terms of inclusion. He also mentioned RFEBS wants to launch a promotion project at the school level and a campaign to detect early talent in the country.

“Everyone has an entry into this sport. We also want to make a bet on Baseball5, which is a mixed discipline,” he concluded.

You might also be interested in:
- Spain rebrands top baseball and softball leagues; National Team programme a priority
- Jesus Lisarri new President of the Spanish Federation
- Tenerife Baseball Week: Spain wins series against Czech Republic
- Olympic Rewind Series: Watch USA, Spain open the Barcelona 1992 Baseball Tournament
- Spain's U-15 National Team training in Tenerife in preparation for European Championship
- Tokyo 2020 Olympic Softball Qualifier - Spain ends Qualifier with a win over South Africa

The national teams are also a pivotal element of Lisarri’s strategy.

“We want to come up with a team that at some point will make a splash by becoming European champions,” he expressed. “In the next few years, baseball and softball will take off in Spain.”

This past February, RFEBS announced the rebranding of their top baseball and women's softball leagues as part of the growing process. With more than 100 teams in the country playing in independent leagues, Lisarri is also planning to launch a men’s softball league in Spain. “They are communities of Dominicans, Venezuelans and Nicaraguans who come together to play,” he described. “One of our challenges is to integrate these teams within the Federation and create the first men's softball league.”