MLB Marketing (add it to the game-ruining list)

John Marzano Olympic Hero

has fancy plans, and pants to match
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It’s not an either / or thing. Those things can happen simultaneously.
That's what I think too. You get the (extremely old reference here, but you get my drift) Fred Dursts of the world to buy a rainbow of Yankee hats, and maybe a small percentage of them dig deeper to find out what the interlocking N and Y means. Either way, MLB makes money and maybe gets some fans from a pool that they wouldn't normally have.

But while you're marketing to non-fans, hoping that they become fans; you can also build the game up through more traditional means like you mentioned: youth initiatives and minor leagues*. You cast that net as wide as you possibly can because in the short-term you'll make money and maybe in the long-term, you can make fans who will spend even more money.

* And this has been said a million times, but MLB streamlining minor league baseball was about the dumbest long-term move any sport has made in some time. Does it save the owners money today? Yes. Of course it does. They don't have to pay ~140 players a wage (which was peanuts) when they can pay ~100 players a wage (which is honey roasted peanuts). They also don't have to have a draft that goes 30 rounds, saving them even more pocket change. But the relationship that a minor league team has with its home town and surrounding area is immeasurable. I've seen it myself this summer now that there's no Lowell Spinners. My kids aren't die-hard baseball fans but they liked going to Lowell and running around the park. We would go with another family and it was a good, cheap time. And there was a Sox connection (I saw Benintendi hit an absolute bomb there one day) that was great. But it's gone.

And it's not just gone from Lowell, but dozens of cities and towns like Lowell. A lot of those towns aren't lucky enough to have a major league team 30 miles away either. This was about as close as they were going to get. Once that's gone, people turn their attention elsewhere. It's really difficult to get that attention to return.

Of all the things that Rob Manfred has done to try and ruin this game, this might be the worst thing.
 

Heating up in the bullpen

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That's what I think too. You get the (extremely old reference here, but you get my drift) Fred Dursts of the world to buy a rainbow of Yankee hats, and maybe a small percentage of them dig deeper to find out what the interlocking N and Y means. Either way, MLB makes money and maybe gets some fans from a pool that they wouldn't normally have.

But while you're marketing to non-fans, hoping that they become fans; you can also build the game up through more traditional means like you mentioned: youth initiatives and minor leagues*. You cast that net as wide as you possibly can because in the short-term you'll make money and maybe in the long-term, you can make fans who will spend even more money.

* And this has been said a million times, but MLB streamlining minor league baseball was about the dumbest long-term move any sport has made in some time. Does it save the owners money today? Yes. Of course it does. They don't have to pay ~140 players a wage (which was peanuts) when they can pay ~100 players a wage (which is honey roasted peanuts). They also don't have to have a draft that goes 30 rounds, saving them even more pocket change. But the relationship that a minor league team has with its home town and surrounding area is immeasurable. I've seen it myself this summer now that there's no Lowell Spinners. My kids aren't die-hard baseball fans but they liked going to Lowell and running around the park. We would go with another family and it was a good, cheap time. And there was a Sox connection (I saw Benintendi hit an absolute bomb there one day) that was great. But it's gone.

And it's not just gone from Lowell, but dozens of cities and towns like Lowell. A lot of those towns aren't lucky enough to have a major league team 30 miles away either. This was about as close as they were going to get. Once that's gone, people turn their attention elsewhere. It's really difficult to get that attention to return.

Of all the things that Rob Manfred has done to try and ruin this game, this might be the worst thing.
Agree completely.
 

santadevil

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I should probably cross-post this in the MLB.TV thread, but I'm fucking steamed right now. Went to watch highlights of a game and I was fed an advertisement first? What the actual fuck? I pay for this app and I now have to get ads before I can watch a video?

I'm better off cancelling and watching the highlights through YouTube if I don't want to pay for Premium

I sent a feedback thing to them telling them as much. If this doesn't change, I'm out on mlb.tv next year and going forward
 

OCD SS

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I should probably cross-post this in the MLB.TV thread, but I'm fucking steamed right now. Went to watch highlights of a game and I was fed an advertisement first? What the actual fuck? I pay for this app and I now have to get ads before I can watch a video?

I'm better off cancelling and watching the highlights through YouTube if I don't want to pay for Premium

I sent a feedback thing to them telling them as much. If this doesn't change, I'm out on mlb.tv next year and going forward
same thing with the radio ap, have to find the spot to complain.
 

jayhoz

Ronald Bartel
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Jul 19, 2005
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I should probably cross-post this in the MLB.TV thread, but I'm fucking steamed right now. Went to watch highlights of a game and I was fed an advertisement first? What the actual fuck? I pay for this app and I now have to get ads before I can watch a video?

I'm better off cancelling and watching the highlights through YouTube if I don't want to pay for Premium

I sent a feedback thing to them telling them as much. If this doesn't change, I'm out on mlb.tv next year and going forward
You're going to have to watch an ad or two on YouTube as well.
 

Lose Remerswaal

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Got a survey pop up when I was following the game on my phone coming home from dinner. Pretty detailed, asking about most exciting player, if I was more or less interested in baseball this year, a couple questions about minor league ball, and demographics info. Also asked me if I had gone to any games this year, and if I was planning to go to any games in the 2021 season. guessing this is an old survey that I never was sent before but that was kind of odd.
 

Philip Jeff Frye

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Got a survey pop up when I was following the game on my phone coming home from dinner. Pretty detailed, asking about most exciting player, if I was more or less interested in baseball this year, a couple questions about minor league ball, and demographics info. Also asked me if I had gone to any games this year, and if I was planning to go to any games in the 2021 season. guessing this is an old survey that I never was sent before but that was kind of odd.
Thanks to Devers' heroics yesterday, there's still time!
 

Daniel_Son

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Might have missed the reasoning, but why the hell are the wild card games starting at 8 pm Eastern? So much for getting younger fans into the sport, I guess.
 

kenneycb

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The East Coast ain't got no love for Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg?

It's to maximize eyeballs across the country so West Coast people are outside of traditional working hours.
 

InsideTheParker

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Jul 15, 2005
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My husband and I have been troubled by mlbn's pushing gambling within programming as well as through ads. I don't care what adults do, but this is a temptation to kids and teens.
 

Ale Xander

Hamilton
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Oct 31, 2013
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The East Coast ain't got no love for Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg?

It's to maximize eyeballs across the country so West Coast people are outside of traditional working hours.
You're underestmating the length of the commute for those folks. (At least the SF, Seattle, LA ones). No way the ones not WFH are getting back by 5:08.
 

Ale Xander

Hamilton
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They may not catch the start but they’d catch most of the game. Not sure if you have other reasoning.
That's Daniel's point, I think. The kids on the East Coast will miss much of the end.

P.S. They (WC) also won't be ready to watch by 6:08.
 

kenneycb

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Advertisers don't care about kids.

To your second point, they can't push out a game to start at 10 PM so you have to make some compromise to maximize eyeballs. 8 PM is that compromise. I'm sure there are studies about this.
 

Daniel_Son

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That's Daniel's point, I think. The kids on the East Coast will miss much of the end.

P.S. They (WC) also won't be ready to watch by 6:08.
Exactly that. Some of my fondest memories are watching playoff baseball with my dad as a kid. Without that experience, I certainly wouldn't be commenting on a Red Sox fan board right now.
 

Lose Remerswaal

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Putting ALCS games on FS1 is going to hurt this league more than many of the others idiotic things they have done. So many people don’t get that channel. And plenty of borderline fans don’t know how to find it (my mom keeps calling me)
 

Philip Jeff Frye

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But let's create even more playoff games in the next CBA so we can put them on even more obscure channels fans to don't get! And show them at times no one can watch!
 

glennhoffmania

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Putting ALCS games on FS1 is going to hurt this league more than many of the others idiotic things they have done. So many people don’t get that channel. And plenty of borderline fans don’t know how to find it (my mom keeps calling me)
What's the reason for this? Why can't the games be on regular Fox? I get FS1 but there was a point when I didn't, and I don't understand why you'd put a nationally televised, high-profile game on a channel most people never heard of.
 

8slim

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What's the reason for this? Why can't the games be on regular Fox? I get FS1 but there was a point when I didn't, and I don't understand why you'd put a nationally televised, high-profile game on a channel most people never heard of.
I think you guys are underestimating FS1. It's the second most-viewed cable sports network. It's not like putting NCAA Tourney games on TruTV.

And the reason why the games aren't on FOX is because their prime time lineup is more lucrative than most baseball games. Plus they need premium events on FS1 to command higher carriage fees from cable providers. I'm not suggesting any of this is "fan friendly", per se, but the economics make complete sense.
 

Max Power

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Exactly that. Some of my fondest memories are watching playoff baseball with my dad as a kid. Without that experience, I certainly wouldn't be commenting on a Red Sox fan board right now.
Which ones? Every game of the 1986 World Series started at 8:25 or 8:35.
 

Ale Xander

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Putting ALCS games on FS1 is going to hurt this league more than many of the others idiotic things they have done. So many people don’t get that channel. And plenty of borderline fans don’t know how to find it (my mom keeps calling me)
True dat. ALDS too. And this Fox OR FS1? Why or?
Show everything on more attainable channels. Fox shouldn't have been given the contract if they can't use Fox. Give more games to Turner that they can put on TNT (instead of literally 3 digit rerun of a marvel movie). Thank God for TBS but as a Red Sox fan, those series are of less interest.

FS1 is better than MLB though, as weird as it is to say that. (In terms of reach)
 

Ale Xander

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I think you guys are underestimating FS1. It's the second most-viewed cable sports network. It's not like putting NCAA Tourney games on TruTV.

And the reason why the games aren't on FOX is because their prime time lineup is more lucrative than most baseball games. Plus they need premium events on FS1 to command higher carriage fees from cable providers. I'm not suggesting any of this is "fan friendly", per se, but the economics make complete sense.
You don't have 3 or 4 MLB playoff games go on at once.
 

Max Power

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The one FS1 game I was home to see was shown in 4k HDR, which was pretty sweet. I finally got some good use out of my LG OLED and Comcast 4k box. But it's understandably less good for those of you who don't get the channel at all.
 

8slim

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You don't have 3 or 4 MLB playoff games go on at once.
Right, but FS1 is not some far flung network. It's literally one of the most well-distributed cable networks in the U.S., and is the 2nd-most viewed to boot.

The NBA conference finals and the college football playoffs are on cable as well, this isn't a phenomena unique to MLB.
 

Daniel_Son

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Which ones? Every game of the 1986 World Series started at 8:25 or 8:35.
I was referring to the '04 run - called my dad and was reminded that he fought my mom tooth and nail to let me stay up for those games. My mistake! But I still think that 7 pm would be a better start time for younger fans.
 

Lose Remerswaal

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Right, but FS1 is not some far flung network. It's literally one of the most well-distributed cable networks in the U.S., and is the 2nd-most viewed to boot.

The NBA conference finals and the college football playoffs are on cable as well, this isn't a phenomena unique to MLB.
And FS1 hasn't been on either hotel channel listing I have stayed at this week ( 1 mass market, 1 upscale) while both had 3 ESPN networks
 

Rovin Romine

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I think it's colossally stupid that you just can't pay MLB.tv $20 and watch the post-season games.

There's a package for some games (idiotic.) But they want a cable provider log-in to join. I don't have a cable provider.

One day MLB will catch up. Maybe.
 

jon abbey

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The national coverage on pretty much every channel is embarrassing, last night TBS couldn’t even update the on-screen score on home runs until well after guys crossed the plate.
 

8slim

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I think it's colossally stupid that you just can't pay MLB.tv $20 and watch the post-season games.

There's a package for some games (idiotic.) But they want a cable provider log-in to join. I don't have a cable provider.

One day MLB will catch up. Maybe.
I don’t believe that the NBA, NHL and NFL let you watch playoff games without a cable subscription (other than the games on free broadcast TV). It’s not just an MLB thing, and of course they do it to prop up their biggest revenue stream.
 

Rovin Romine

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I don’t believe that the NBA, NHL and NFL let you watch playoff games without a cable subscription (other than the games on free broadcast TV). It’s not just an MLB thing, and of course they do it to prop up their biggest revenue stream.
I still think it's colossally stupid.
 

Ale Xander

Hamilton
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And FS1 hasn't been on either hotel channel listing I have stayed at this week ( 1 mass market, 1 upscale) while both had 3 ESPN networks
Yup. I’m seeing this situation now (4 ESPns and no FS1) in MA south of the Pike and 3 of the last 5 MA mass market hotels this month. They do have NESN though. I would prefer this April-September but not tonight.
 

Red(s)HawksFan

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Yup. I’m seeing this situation now (4 ESPns and no FS1) in MA south of the Pike and 3 of the last 5 MA mass market hotels this month. They do have NESN though. I would prefer this April-September but not tonight.
You're scaring me a bit. I have an event down in Tolland CT on Saturday. Normally, I'd just drive down early in the morning (~3 hours), but with Game 6 scheduled for Friday, I might be up a bit late watching the game that night which isn't ideal. Had a similar situation occur on October 26, 2018, otherwise known as the night of Game 3. Got to bed after watching all 18 innings around 3:30 only to have to get up at 4:00 to drive three hours down to the Foxboro area.

Thinking of alleviating that concern by driving down Friday afternoon and getting a hotel (at least I'd gain three hours of sleep if the game goes 18 innings), but that would be a waste if I found there was no FS1 on the hotel cable system. Hopefully the Sox wrap things up in five so I'm spared the dilemma.
 
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Lose Remerswaal

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We tried setting our DVR remotely (we have the Xfinity app on the iPad) and watching it that way. It did record the game but wouldn’t let us watch from New Jersey on like a five minute delay. At least not while the game was on, and we didn’t try the next AM
 

Ale Xander

Hamilton
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Oct 31, 2013
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We tried setting our DVR remotely (we have the Xfinity app on the iPad) and watching it that way. It did record the game but wouldn’t let us watch from New Jersey on like a five minute delay. At least not while the game was on, and we didn’t try the next AM
Yeah I could have my family record it on xfinity but I still couldn’t watch it next day.
Other sports/channels also seem to be like that. Have to be on “home” IP to watch everything.
 

Ale Xander

Hamilton
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Oct 31, 2013
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Yeah I could have my family record it on xfinity but I still couldn’t watch it next day.
Other sports/channels also seem to be like that. Have to be on “home” IP to watch everything.
So far tonight works, yippee! MAybe a round thing (only 1 game today), and/or an MLBN thing (last week)