Modernizing The MLB

B

BeanieAntics

Arbitration Eligible
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?
 
bravesfanMatt said:
Baseball is hard to gamble on. That is it’s biggest disadvantage.
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Baseball does fine with the demographic that is usually in the gambling sphere. That 10-24 age range is where baseball is really struggling, and that is the demographic that these changes would mostly be targeted at.
 
I agree with everything but the player behavior and retaliating part. I'm not necessarily against celebrating behaviors. I think bat flips and a little celebration is fine, but certainly some guys cross the line. I'm also fine with retaliation since there is generally a fine/suspension tacked on anyways, so pitchers know that going in already. In general, I don't find bench clearings to be negative for baseball. The Puig/Amir Garrett fight this year was extremely entertaining.
 
bravesfanMatt said:
Um my 11 year old daughter hates to gamble on baseball. Doesn’t like money line bets. So sorry you are wrong.
Click to expand...

This does not mean he is wrong. One anecdote does not prove a theory.

One of the major reasons baseball became so popular in the early 20th century was the gambling.
 
BeanieAntics said:
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?
Click to expand...

Agree with all of this.

Make Baseball Great Again!

And please for the love of God: do something to help the young kids who can't afford travel ball. This sport would already be golf if we didn't have the annual influx of Latin American talent.

And please don't destroy the minor leagues. Good grief.
 
SJ24 said:
This does not mean he is wrong. One anecdote does not prove a theory.

One of the major reasons baseball became so popular in the early 20th century was the gambling.
Click to expand...

Here's another one for you: My 2-year old gay son, who is a gambling addict, also doesn't gamble on baseball.
 
I just don't get the idea that a bunch of kids are suddenly going to start running to the park because there are flashier clothes and accessories. At all.
 
CyYoung31 said:
Here's another one for you: My 2-year old gay son, who is a gambling addict, also doesn't gamble on baseball.
Click to expand...

My blind, non-binary, autistic child with terminal rabies also chooses not to bet on baseball. Xe's more into betting on international tap dancing competitions. Xe lost a buttload when Tija Tkalcevic edged out Elisa Fabriziani at the 2018 IDO World Championships in the Adult female solo category. Stupid Tija and her cramp roll into a paradiddle cost my child all of xyr's hormone money.
 
Snowman said:
I just don't get the idea that a bunch of kids are suddenly going to start running to the park because there are flashier clothes and accessories. At all.
Click to expand...

That's not necessarily what the goal is. The goal is to increase the interest in the sport among that demographic. A tangential benefit of that should be more people in that age group wanting to be involved in the sport, but the main focus should be to make it more fun for kids to watch and talk about with their friends. Being a child in a 29 year old's body probably gives me a unique perspective on this. But like it or not, kids enjoy cool uniforms. They enjoy customizable equipment. They enjoy and talk about big celebrations (ala Joey Bautista a few years ago). They prefer to engage with sports through Youtube and social media rather than the traditional TV model. They enjoy big personalities. They enjoy memes. They enjoy off the field drama, feuds, and personal rivalries (look at the current state of the NBA).

All of those are things that the MLB has historically frowned upon or actively legislated against. I'm not saying that they have to implement every single one of these ideas immediately, but they need to start taking some steps to engage in these ways. The inner city baseball initiative is great and all, but other than that the MLB has been garbage at marketing to kids and making their product "cool".
 
BeanieAntics said:
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?
Click to expand...

Encourage goofiness and stupid self-promotion? No, no and no.

Baseball popularity is fine. Not everybody has to like it. Less money in the game wouldn't be such a bad thing.
 
There is a point to be made here. Think about the best player in baseball. He might be somewhere in the 40's in a rank of the most popular athletes. And this isn't some great for the era type guy - he's perhaps the best OF that's ever played. And he's plays in LA - not exactly some small market.

The NFL doesn't have this problem - they have found a way to market their stars no matter where they play. I think one of the problems is that baseball is still too colloquial - meaning that teams concentrate in their local areas when it comes to marketing. MLB should do a better job nationally.
 
Nerfherders said:
There is a point to be made here. Think about the best player in baseball. He might be somewhere in the 40's in a rank of the most popular athletes. And this isn't some great for the era type guy - he's perhaps the best OF that's ever played. And he's plays in LA - not exactly some small market.

The NFL doesn't have this problem - they have found a way to market their stars no matter where they play. I think one of the problems is that baseball is still too colloquial - meaning that teams concentrate in their local areas when it comes to marketing. MLB should do a better job nationally.
Click to expand...

How many household names does any sport have outside of its fanbase, though? The NBA, I know there's Lebron. NFL, Brady, Kaeperknick, and the guy who killed dogs. I can't name a single soccer or hockey player.
 
In fact, now that I think about it, the NBA would be a much better choice to emulate than the NFL. They've marketed the hell out of guys like Jordan, Kobe, Shaq, and Lebron over the years, to the point that even someone who hasn't watched a game of basketball in 40 years knows them by a single name. The NFL, the only guys I know are guys who had controversy that got them into the news. A cheater, a kneeler, a dog killer, that one who murdered someone in a driveway, that one who shot himself in the leg in a nightclub....
 
How about a rule change where one pitch per at bat the hitter gets to make use of electronic technology to find out what the pitch will be. We can call it the Designated Pitch.
 
We can argue whether or not NFL players are better marketed. I will maintain they are. Saturday Night Live just had a defensive end host the show. If that's not exposing your players to the masses, I don't know what is. It also doesn't hurt that the Super Bowl is the most watched TV program of the year, every year, and just made Patrick Mahomes a household name.
 
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