Home Run House, open now in Westfield Stratford City, is an activity-led retail experience of baseball by Major League Baseball (MLB) in collaboration and developed by American hospitality concept innovator Passyunk Avenue.

Following the success of London Yards, a three-day festival in June 2019 at Truman Brewery to mark the first regular season MLB games played in Europe and celebrate all things baseball, MLB have sought ways to engage more consistently with the growing fanbase in Europe.

As part of this, MLB have entered into a partnership with Passyunk Avenue to deliver an activity-led retail experience of baseball, Home Run House. Home Run House will operate for twelve months and will offer a space to watch, play and experience baseball.

Global experience agency Imagination, who have worked with MLB over the past 3 years on activations like MLB Battlegrounds (2017) and London Yards (2019), were brought on board to bring the MLB brand experience and aesthetic to the space. Following the conceptual work, the space was carefully curated by the team at Passyunk Avenue alongside Fusion Design and Architecture to deliver an immersive environment that enables customers to experience how baseball has become an integral part of American culture.

A day at the ballpark is a social occasion that brings people together and Home Run House seeks to recreate that ballpark experience. 4 custom designed, hi-tech batting cages, connected to Hittrax radar technology, will give visitors to play a variety of immersive baseball-themed games in any of the 30 Major League ballparks.

The bar and customer entertainment area, designed in conjunction with Budweiser, will be activity hubs where fans can cheer on their friends in the batting cages or enjoy a cold beer and hot dog while watching a live Major League Baseball game on one of five jumbo screens.

Within Home Run House, there will also be an officially licensed MLB merchandise shop operated by New Era. In a first of its kind, this shop will be the only one in Europe to feature hats and apparel from all 30 Major League Baseball teams.

“Given the interest in baseball, especially as demonstrated by the huge turnout for the London Series and related events last year, we thought it was important to develop a more sustained market presence”, commented Charlie Hill Vice President International Strategy. “We wanted to create a venue where our fans could both learn more about the game and have a fun day out in a way that replicates the experience of visiting the ballpark.”

Passyunk Avenue founder JP Teti commented: “We’re excited to be collaborating with MLB and Budweiser to make this concept a reality because our brand is all about telling authentic American stories that provide a glimpse into unique aspects of American culture and we believe there is a great American story to tell here.”

Home Run House is located in the Events Atrium on Level One in Westfield Stratford City adjacent to the World Food Court.