LONDON — Major League Baseball (MLB) has brought in two agencies to support efforts to develop its presence across the UK and Europe.

The professional sports league has hired W to handle UK and European PR duties, while also appointing Imagination to oversee its experiential activities. Both agencies come onboard following separate, competitive pitches.

W’s PR and social brief will encompass cultural partnerships, live events and other efforts to showcase the sport to existing and new fans. Working with MLB’s UK office, W will create and execute initiatives focused on the MLB brand and its classic team marks over the next 12-months, as part of a multi-year growth strategy for MLB.

Meanwhile, Imagination is tasked with creating and delivering strategy, content and events that demonstrate MLB’s world class technology, on-field entertainment value, culture and brand lifestyle across multiple European markets.

"The Major League Baseball brand is one of the most historic and iconic in the world, so it’s an incredibly exciting opportunity for the agency to lead its plans in Europe," said W MD Richard Tompkins. "The approach will be very different to that of other US sport exports, and allow the agency to combine many of its diverse skills – from influencer to social, events to partnerships – across UK, France, Germany and Italy."