Mandatory school soccer program will help baseball

The advent of a mandatory soccer program in all Chinese schools will also provide a boon to baseball, particularly at the college level, said Jim Small, MLB vice-president, Asia Pacific.

An overall reform plan was published earlier this year by the Chinese government attaching importance to school soccer and developing young talent. The sport will be added to the compulsory curriculum in elementary and middle schools across China.

"First of all, we applaud the Chinese government for focusing on making a sports industry," said Small. "There is absolutely nothing wrong with sports and business going together, and how you grow your sport.