(This story was updated on 21 June to include comment from stadium infrastructure expert Alexey Milovanov.)

Related Argent and Barnet council have signed what they are describing as Europe's first indoor baseball and softball destination at Brent Cross Town, their massive mixed-use development in north London.

The 108, a 40,000-square-foot hub, will open in the autumn.

In the United Kingdom about 20,000 people play baseball and softball but a barrier to the growth of the sport has been access to a year-round facility. The partners said The 108 will improve the quality of the game by providing this access.

It will comprise training facilities that can be used by professional teams through to youth and social games players, as well as for indoor softball and casual hitting practice. It will include a food and beverage offer, big screens to watch games, a retail store for baseball merchandise and space to host parties and events.

It will have four dual-sport batting cages equipped with HitTrax, which provides hitting simulation that can test and measure the launch angle, exit velocity and distance and a full-size adult infield.

It is a new brand in the United Kingdom established by baseball enthusiasts Maxwell Trautman and Michael Wakelam. It is supported by the United Kingdom's governing bodies for baseball and softball and Major League Baseball in the United States.

It is also anticipated The 108 will support BaseballSoftballUK, the national development agency in the United Kingdom, by hosting its annual winter academies for both baseball and softball, as well as winter indoor softball leagues. The announcement comes as London prepares to host Major League Baseball at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park's London Stadium later this month.

The name comes from the number of stitches on a standard baseball.

CoStar News understands the nearest complex size-wise in the United Kingdom and Ireland is a much smaller indoor Strike Zone in Dublin, which does not have automated batting machines or an infield.

Baseball has been growing in the London Borough of Barnet, where the development is based, with Herts Baseball Club establishing its north-west London team at the borough’s Basing Hill Park in 2019, a close neighbour of Brent Cross Town. In 2022, Brent Cross Town’s Community Fund provided funding for the purchase of a baseball pitching machine.

Morwenna Hall, partner at Related Argent, said in a statement: “It is fantastic to be welcoming The 108 to Brent Cross Town and an exciting first for London, the UK and for the local community. The 108 is a great new amenity for the area, providing a fun and accessible way of getting involved in baseball, whether you’re experienced or a beginner. It also underpins our commitment to creating the place in London for play and sport offering a variety of different experiences and opportunities for the local community.”

The 108’s Michael Wakelam and Maxwell Trautman said in a joint statement: “As passionate baseball fans our goal has always been make baseball and softball more accessible to both those aiming to reach elite levels in the sport and those wanting to try these great sports for the first time."

Ben Ladkin, MD of Major League Baseball Europe, added: “We’re really excited to see further evidence of the growth of baseball and softball in the UK with the announcement of this fantastic new facility and are looking forward to working with The 108 and the UK baseball and softball community to grow the game. With the return of the London Series this year it’s definitely a big year for baseball in the UK.”

Brent Cross Town is a joint venture between Related Argent and Barnet Council to develop a large-scale mixed-use development including new homes, retail and office space, as well as improved schools and green spaces in the area. Early work started on site in early 2020 and construction is underway on the new Brent Cross West station which is expected to open in autumn 2023.

The neighbourhood proposes 6,700 homes, workspace for over 25,000 people, and pedestrian friendly streets and squares with local shops and restaurants.

Alexey Milovanov, an executive at the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, has called on baseball executives to focus their attention on building dedicated infrastructure if they want to increase global interest.

Milovanov is a sports infrastructure expert involved in the construction of seven stadiums for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia and the overlay for sites at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. The MLB is coming to London in late June as part of its World Tour series.

The MLB has announced games to be held in France, Japan, Mexico, the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico, underlining its plans for global expansion. That follows years of initiatives aimed at boosting uptake of baseball internationally, including the creation of the World Baseball Classic in 2005 and opening three MLB Development Centers in China between 2009 and 2013.

Milovanov says a lack of infrastructure is capping the amount of progress baseball can make globally. "The MLB must put serious resources and effort behind new infrastructure, whether it's delivered with other investors or construction partners, if it wants to create a genuine baseball culture abroad and lay the foundations for its future growth."

He adds that baseball professionals often have to use stadiums that have not been designed for their sport when they play overseas. "This undermines the spectator experience in games that are designed to attract new fans. Furthermore, baseball series are forced to work around other sporting events, meaning fans get fewer opportunities to see the sport.”