MLB abandons plans to stage 2017 fixture in London

Next spring's World Baseball Classic kept the league from pursuing a London series for next year

Major League Baseball has abandoned plans to stage some regular-season matches in London in 2017.

The fixtures would have been the first MLB games played in Europe, and reports suggested "serious talks" took place about the Olympic Stadium hosting the potential series.

Dan Halem, MLB's chief legal officer, said discussions would continue about playing matches overseas.

But he said there was not enough time to agree a deal for the 2017 season.

MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said in January that talks had begun about matches being played in London, but ongoing collective bargaining negotiations and next spring's World Baseball Classic are believed to have halted them.

Players' Association executive director Tony Clark said: "Unfortunately there were a number of moving pieces related to London that shortened our window in an effort to try to find common ground."