Noah Frank wrote this for Baseball Prospectus, and I think it's well worth a read. The basic premise is regarding MLB's long history of allowing advertisers and sponsors to launder their reputation through the league's goodwill in exchange for up front money, and how those sponsors are only getting more tenuous:
oh, and I made it "basic" (no $/subscription required) right before posting here, so don't let that stop you from checking it out.
hmm, still shows a paywall for me, does that mean I only need an account or what?
yeah, just an email will get you in. no money (or credit card or anything) required.
thanks for knocking down the paywall!
btw are you relieved to be free of the name polls? lol
ha, no problem! I'm usually amenable to do it outside of some core products (prospect lists, etc.) so feel to ask if you see something.
I actually like them. They can be annoying or silly but on the whole I think it's a bit of stupid fun we can all use? Hopefully can get them back soonish.
we're already going bc apparently twitter is (maybe?) dying so why not
nba renamed one of the stadiums the crypto dot com arena, so lol, lmao
I appreciate you bringing up the question "should such a durable institution as the MLB really just let any old thing onto jerseys as long as the check's already cleared?", it's good to consider, but I think the answer is probably yes. MLB doesn't really come across as having egg on its face here, because it's not like they took the payment in cryptocoins lol. What sustains the league is money, not reputation, I mean heck apparently the World Series trophy is "just a piece of metal" by the commissioner's own words (I don't care if he apologized if he never strips it from the proven-cheaters Astros, he's sorry he said it out loud, he's not sorry that he meant it), and yet what amount has that actually slowed down the leagues? basically none. As far as reputation, we expect nothing and we're given nothing. The business carries on, the show must go on. And the grist for the mill is cold hard cash, as long as the money keeps coming in we can keep watching Shohei and Trout each week of the season. It's fine. "Selling out" isn't really a thing anymore, we've come to understand as a culture that the art and the advertising don't actually reflect on each other. Anyone who's upset about crypto ads was upset before FTX failed, I mean really, who's only just come around on this? it really is an attempt to buy the appearance of legitimacy by plenty of new money, but advertisers come and go, sponsorships come and go, owners even come and go, baseball remains, and it's only a question of what gauche thing is shoved in your face the whole time, cigarettes or crypto coins or whatever. All I know is, it's never going to get any money from me just because it's on a stadium. (perhaps that sentiment should concern the MLB lol)
Yeah, I don't broadly disagree, really. I think that's all true, but I might push back slightly on MLB not having egg on its face. I think it was an embarrassing sponsorship the whole time, true, and it is time-honored that they do not care, but having it come to such obvious fruition should be embarrassing at least. I agree the league doesn't care, but I also don't full agree that the league getting $$ is what keeps giving us Shohei/Trout/etc. especially since the league would gladly give those guys as little as possible given the option.
I think it's very fair to say many consumers can separate the art from the advertiser, but I guess the thrust of the essay (not my byline, tbc, though I agree with it) was they perhaps they should. I think part of where you're coming from vs. the piece is like "what is" vs. "what should be" and no one (from our side) will argue with what is. But I guess consider it a critique of what is, anyway? Apologies if that was repetitive or rambling. I really appreciate your thoughts on it!
yeah, the classic is/ought conundrum...in this case, I'm not so sure. Would a kinder/gentler MLB be appreciated? sure, in the same way that it's nice to imagine fairytales. I can't really think that has anything to do with MLB as an entity though. MLB is old time showbiz, PT Barnum's spiritual successor, and if someone's not around hocking snake oil is it really the same beast? It's almost a nature preserve for vaudeville hucksters, the fact their flashy new clothes dress them as fintech companies hasn't really changed the grade of advertisers. I mean, what, the majority of sponsors for baseball were like insurance companies not too long ago? Staid looking, durable enough, but no less ruthless capitalists happy to shirk their responsibilities when the claims come in. I can't think of many sponsors I have any respect for. and in the end, it's always the MLB that comes out ahead of them, the huckster's huckster lol
I think it would be nice if the league had shame, but it doesn't and in some way that's earned a measure of respect from me, I suppose. It's not likely to learn any anytime soon, with the structure of the league being what it is. And I'm not convinced that any seeming change of heart at this point wouldn't just be another trick for the bunch of snakes to try and lure some more people in. I love the sport though! hahahha
thanks to Noah Frank btw, I did enjoy this article, and thanks to you for sharing it here.
Sure thing!
I get where you're coming from, truly. I just have never been able to get on board with the "respect for masks off thing." I think the point on advertisers/sponsors always being crap is legit, but I still see some deterioration even amongst the types of crap. Possibly (probably) it makes no difference. But it struck me a bit, regardless.
Thanks again for the commentary, it's made me think on it a bit more, and I appreciate that.
We love factual repetition of crypto always being scams don't we folks? :D
