Jason Stark at the Athletic with an interesting article about using the Winter Meetings to better market baseball in the offseason.
https://theathletic.com/1444999/2019/12/09/stark-11-ideas-to-liven-up-the-winter-meetings/
Some of the more interesting ideas:
Move the Rule 5 draft to the first day of the meetings-- teams often wait till after the Rule 5 draft to make moves, due to the roster limits. No real reason not to do this.
Adding a trading deadline for the Tuesday of the meetings. The idea is that this would spur teams to make trades and add interest, like the July deadline does. The deadline would mean teams couldn't trade until some point later in the offseason, maybe late in spring training. Would be a big change for teams, but it could spur interest.
Don't allow free agents to sign until after that new trade deadline. Teams could negotiate with players after the World Series, but couldn't officially sign anyone until the second day of the meetings. Another idea to get attention, with a bunch of big signings announced at once, with more surely to follow if trading is closed for months.
Move awards week to the meetings and have a big ceremony, like the NHL already does. This would be a TV "event" that would get more attention. I don't see any downside to this. Maybe no one watches, but what would you lose?
Add a draft lottery to reduce incentives to tank. Hold the lottery during the meetings and televise it.
I'd be fine with these, if they were implemented properly. I'd guess that a lot of baseball fans would be against it, since most baseball fans are against change. But I don't see much downside-- again, as long as it's done right.
https://theathletic.com/1444999/2019/12/09/stark-11-ideas-to-liven-up-the-winter-meetings/
Some of the more interesting ideas:
Move the Rule 5 draft to the first day of the meetings-- teams often wait till after the Rule 5 draft to make moves, due to the roster limits. No real reason not to do this.
Adding a trading deadline for the Tuesday of the meetings. The idea is that this would spur teams to make trades and add interest, like the July deadline does. The deadline would mean teams couldn't trade until some point later in the offseason, maybe late in spring training. Would be a big change for teams, but it could spur interest.
Don't allow free agents to sign until after that new trade deadline. Teams could negotiate with players after the World Series, but couldn't officially sign anyone until the second day of the meetings. Another idea to get attention, with a bunch of big signings announced at once, with more surely to follow if trading is closed for months.
Move awards week to the meetings and have a big ceremony, like the NHL already does. This would be a TV "event" that would get more attention. I don't see any downside to this. Maybe no one watches, but what would you lose?
Add a draft lottery to reduce incentives to tank. Hold the lottery during the meetings and televise it.
I'd be fine with these, if they were implemented properly. I'd guess that a lot of baseball fans would be against it, since most baseball fans are against change. But I don't see much downside-- again, as long as it's done right.