The rebuilding of baseball's image was examined on an
ESPN cover story called "The Payoff Pitch." ESPN's Peter
Gammons noted with the CBA done, MLB Enterprises CEO Greg
Murphy "can now begin the task" of altering the "widely held
perception that what once was America's pastime is past its
time." Murphy came to MLB from Kraft Foods, and as Gammons
notes "Kraft is one business with sub-divisions. Baseball
owners have run their game as 30 different businesses."
Brandweek's Terry Lefton says Murphy "has the appropriate
background for the job. ... [but] the power is in the clubs.
The power is not in a centralized marketing arm. I say it's
less like a consortium and more like a fiefdom and it's more
so like that than any other sport." Gammons: "Murphy is
emphatic about where the remarketing begins and some players
do get it. ... Murphy constantly talks about how players
have to connect with fans. But just how do they do this?"
Murphy: "Just a quick touch, a signed ball, a 'hi.' ...
Showing your humanity that you have the same passion and
love of this game that your fan does. And our players do,
they just need to show it" ("SportsCenter," ESPN, 12/10).
ADVICE: Reebok's VP/Sports Marketing Dan Hanrahan, on
advice for Murphy: "What I'd like Greg to do is to stay
focused on his hero theme and not let anybody knock him off
that track. Because I think that is what can really build
baseball back up, to develop heroes out of these players."
Murphy plans to "readjust" MLB marketing to focus on
Hispanics and women. Murphy: "Over 32% of our ballplayers
are from overseas, from 24 countries. That just tells you
that there is an enormous opportunity for us with ...
Hispanic marketing." As for women, Murphy indicates, "Women
prefer baseball" ("SportsCenter," ESPN, 12/10).
