2020 Around the MLB Thread

[LL3]

Season seems to be at a major roadblock and they're three games in.

Not unsurprising.

Reading more about this now -- I was unaware of the Marlin game cancellation for tonight, but obviously that makes sense. There is talk of possibly cancelling tonight's Phils/Yanks matchup as a precaution. This has to be very worrisome for the MLB season...and of course the infected coaches and players.

 

[TheLand1287]

Fucking Florida. Every god damn time.

 

[macbdog]

Fucking Florida. Every god damn time.

Florida Man strikes again...

 

[The Human Q-Tip]

My 21 year old college soccer playing son is a big fan of the futbol..."watches" most games on 9 minute highlight vids on YouTube. He'll occasionally watch a full game, but typically that is a "big" game. For reference, Soccer matches almost never last more than 2 hours. He watches baseball, football, and basketball much the same way....anecdotal, but he is not atypical among his peers in this manner.

Yeah, that's kind of the problem. Why bother going to/watching a game if you can just watch the flashy stuff in condensed version on YouTube? Problem is that brings in absolutely zero cash, and doesn't build the health of the sport. To me, baseball more than any other sport is about the experience of going to the ballpark. I think trying to market it as personality-driven flash like basketball won't work, which is probably why teams generally don't do that.

 

[The Human Q-Tip]

And I am sure you are not aware of the history CATS and I have. Rightfully so.

I don't care about anyone's history in other forums, and I don't think other posters tired of seeing the back and forth sniping care either. I'm getting PM'd by other posters asking that I do something to stop it. So knock it off.

@CATS44

 

[AZ_]

Yeah, that's kind of the problem. Why bother going to/watching a game if you can just watch the flashy stuff in condensed version on YouTube? Problem is that brings in absolutely zero cash, and doesn't build the health of the sport. To me, baseball more than any other sport is about the experience of going to the ballpark. I think trying to market it as personality-driven flash like basketball won't work, which is probably why teams generally don't do that.

Until recently, MLB wouldn't allow their content on YouTube and funneled all highlights through their MLBAM platform instead.

But I will say, just because you're saying that Baseball's experience is inside the park more than any other sport does not make it true. They simply haven't embraced the personality-driven marketing in a way that has maximized their various superstars.

Other sports CHOSE to show off their athletes entering the stadium in flashy outfits, they CHOSE to start doing more to support athletes standing up their own personal brand and incubate them to turn them into fashion, music, sports influencers that have quite a bit of Q rating behind their names.

They're putting their athletes in a better position to develop the recognition, social media impact and global political impact.


Having more fans in the stands is critical for every sport, but that isn't the only way for athletes to market themselves, the league needs to help put them in that position. MLB Network has dabbled in this through wildly popular shows like Intentional Talk, but its not nearly enough to match the brand building of other sports. The problems start within the league, as their commissioner and marketing department are little else other than boilerplate slogans and antiquated strategies of brand management.

 

[jup]

I don't care about anyone's history in other forums, and I don't think other posters tired of seeing the back and forth sniping care either. I'm getting PM'd by other posters asking that I do something to stop it. So knock it off.

@CATS44

Understood Q

 

[The Human Q-Tip]

Until recently, MLB wouldn't allow their content on YouTube and funneled all highlights through their MLBAM platform instead. But I will say, just because you're saying that Baseball's experience is inside the park more than any other sport does not make it true.

That's true -- it's just one opinion. People are free to evaluate it against their own experiences and impressions of the game to determine how much truth there is to it.

They simply haven't embraced the personality-driven marketing in a way that has maximized their various superstars. Other sports CHOSE to show off their athletes entering the stadium in flashy outfits, they CHOSE to start doing more to support athletes standing up their own personal brand and incubate them to turn them into fashion, music, sports influencers that have quite a bit of Q rating behind their names.

They're putting their athletes in a better position to develop the recognition, social media impact and global political impact.

I can see why the athletes would push for that -- it gives them income stream potential and "global political impact" completely separate from the game. But I don't see it as doing MLB itself any good, and it may even do some harm.

Having more fans in the stands is critical for every sport, but that isn't the only way for athletes to market themselves, the league needs to help put them in that position. MLB Network has dabbled in this through wildly popular shows like Intentional Talk, but its not nearly enough to match the brand building of other sports. The problems start within the league, as their commissioner and marketing department are little else other than boilerplate slogans and antiquated strategies of brand management.

Again, everything you're saying is about what may be good for the individual athletes, and I think you're right. I simply don't see the net value to MLB itself of giving athletes that additional power and influence that only benefits those individuals.

 

[Obscured By Clouds]

Reading more about this now -- I was unaware of the Marlin game cancellation for tonight, but obviously that makes sense. There is talk of possibly cancelling tonight's Phils/Yanks matchup as a precaution. This has to be very worrisome for the MLB season...and of course the infected coaches and players.

Phillies canceled, too

Marlins COVID-19 outbreak: Another player tests positive Friday; 20 total reported cases among team

Players who tested positive will reportedly be bused back to Miami

www.cbssports.com

 

[AZ_]

That's true -- it's just one opinion. People are free to evaluate it against their own experiences and impressions of the game to determine how much truth there is to it.



I can see why the athletes would push for that -- it gives them income stream potential and "global political impact" completely separate from the game. But I don't see it as doing MLB itself any good, and it may even do some harm.



Again, everything you're saying is about what may be good for the individual athletes, and I think you're right. I simply don't see the net value to MLB itself of giving athletes that additional power and influence that only benefits those individuals.

To believe this, you'd have to assume that greater popularity for their athletes wouldn't manifest itself in greater popularity for the game they play, the contracts they sign and the furtherance of the endorsement deals that maximize reach and hit demographics that draw in further support..

Historically, they've always been correlated as a positive to the interest levels in the game itself.


Given how far behind they are in their archaic marketing practices, investing in the community and the future of Baseball, a relatively expensive sport to play at the Youth level, isn't wholly out of line either. They're simply WAY behind, and time is becoming critical to catch up.

 

[LL3]

To believe this, you'd have to assume that greater popularity for their athletes wouldn't manifest itself in greater popularity for the game they play, the contracts they sign and the furtherance of the endorsement deals that maximize reach and hit demographics that draw in further support..

Historically, they've always been correlated as a positive to the interest levels in the game itself.


Given how far behind they are in their archaic marketing practices, investing in the community and the future of Baseball, a relatively expensive sport to play at the Youth level, isn't wholly out of line either. They're simply WAY behind, and time is becoming critical to catch up.

All these elements make me wonder if the biggest hindrance is the horrible relationship between players and ownership. If they were closer to a loose partnership in sharing the revenues, both more tied together to make it work, this might be a whole different conversation...so it goes.

 

[AZ_]

Can anyone name an owner who has been a vocal supporter of their players and their needs in the last few decades?

I can barely think of one, and the reason is because few MLB owners have ANY relationship with their teams and the culture of their organizations.


Its an overall broken business model that lays at the feet of MLB. They've coasted so long with the "that's just how we do things here" mentality, and its left them behind the 8-ball as other leagues have poured money into a more progressive corporate culture.

 

[PIP]

If there is one man that can come up clutch with this entire situation it’s Derek Jeter....

 

[Out of the Rafters at the Q]

If there is one man that can come up clutch with this entire situation it’s Derek Jeter....

Yep, quite a day for the Marlins.

Holding a private meeting, knowing they were infected, and deciding to play against the Phillies anyways.

 

[Wulfgar1224]

Given how bad the pandemic is here in the United States, I think the MLB season should be cancelled. They shouldn't have played the Marlins- Phillies game yesterday. Truthfully, the Marlins should be under quarantine for at least 10 days. I wish things were different. The focus should be on getting this virus under control like most other countries have. Although, I question whether we have the will to do what needs to be done to make that happen.