Kansas City, Missouri, is one of the host cities for the World Cup, and fans attending the matches are being introduced to a different kind of sport: baseball. The Kansas City Royals, a Major League Baseball team, are taking advantage of the opportunity to showcase their sport to a global audience.

A Unique Sports Experience

The Royals’ stadium, Kauffman Stadium, is located right across the parking lot from the World Cup match venue, making it an attractive option for fans looking for something to do between matches. The team’s president of business operations, Cullen Maxey, sees this as a chance to promote baseball to a new audience.

"We want to open our doors to the world," Maxey said. "We share the parking lot, so naturally we should be able to lean in on that a little bit and invite people to Royals games." Maxey believes that baseball can offer a unique experience for World Cup fans, who may not be familiar with the sport.

England captain Harry Kane and several of his teammates attended a Royals game during the group stage, and coach Thomas Tuchel even threw out the ceremonial first pitch. The Royals have also hosted fans from other countries, including Norway and Germany, who have been enjoying the baseball experience.

A Challenge for MLB

While the World Cup has provided a boost to baseball attendance, the challenge for Major League Baseball (MLB) will be to turn these one-time visitors into long-term fans. Former Chicago White Sox and Miami Marlins player Andre Rienzo, who is from Brazil, notes that baseball can be a difficult sport to understand for those who are not familiar with it.

"If you read a book about the rules, you don’t understand anything," Rienzo said. "You need to go to the game, be with someone, understand it play by play." Rienzo believes that newcomers should try to look beyond the slower pace of baseball and enjoy the atmosphere of the game.

Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.