Encourage goofiness and stupid self-promotion? No, no and no.Originally Posted by BeanieAntics
Trevor Bauer just put out a video that was highly critical of Rob Manfred and everything he has done as commissioner. He brings up a lot of points, but one of the ones that got me thinking was how the MLB has utterly failed to reach young audiences. There are several reasons for this, but I think one of the biggest ones is the lack of individual marketing and the strict rules the MLB sometimes places on player individuality. I think the time has come for the MLB to take a more modern approach that will appeal to younger fans in order to grow the sport. If they don't, the outlook is pretty bleak in the long run imo. The biggest area that I think the MLB needs to improve is in their social media engagement, which has been nothing short of dismal. So in order to get the MLB to market more to young fans, I think the MLB should make the following changes.
Uniform/Equipment customization
-Allow and encourage players to wear customized cleats
-Allow and encourage players to use customizable bat skins
-Allow and encourage position players to use customizable gloves (not for pitchers, for obvious reasons)
-Start a league-wide initiative to encourage teams to have more alternate uniforms, some of which may be more modernized and flamboyant
Player Behavior
-Encourage players to celebrate their accomplishments more and heavily discourage the enforcement of "unwritten rules"
-To counter the potential consequences, implement an escalating suspension system for players/managers who retaliate by throwing at batters intentionally
-Put a bigger emphasis on the fun that players like Acuna/Ozzie seem to have in the dugout
Social Media Initiative
-Dismantle any restrictions that make it harder for MLB focused YT channels like Jomboy from thriving.
-Put an increased focus on social media visability including: More highlight reels, player interviews, memes, etc.
-More transparency with league news/rumors/speculation
-Encourage more player-individual marketing through avenues like twitter, YT, and Twitch; perhaps entering a partnership with these sites that would provide more of a financial incentive for players to get involved.
-Just a general increase in fan engagement
A lot of you guys may think that some of these changes are silly or too radical, but baseball has a real problem attracting young people right now. Young people like fun and things like customizable uniform options, celebrations, and youtube are fun. And in my opinion, changes like this are far more important and far less stupid than increasing the playoffs to 7 teams, trying to do everything you can to get sub-3 hour games, pushing the mound back, etc. Instead of trying to literally change the nature of the game to draw in young people, take the game as it exists and make it more fun. Take out all the things that are decidedly anti-fun, particularly the "unwritten rules".
So what say you? Agree, disagree?
Baseball popularity is fine. Not everybody has to like it. Less money in the game wouldn't be such a bad thing.
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