According to several team execs, a national TV, radio and
outdoor campaign by Partners & Shevack, New York, "is awaiting
final approval from a league committee charged with creating an
integrated marketing effort to launch the season." The campaign,
which will "resemble" the NHL's "Game On," will have the tagline,
"Let's play ball." The upcoming ads "are said to be conciliatory
but fall short of apologizing to fans." MLB will develop a
separate "Play ball!" logo and is looking into licensing "Play
ball!" merchandise (Jeff Jensen, ADVERTISING AGE, 4/10 issue).
MILLER SPEAKS OUT: Former MLBPA head Marvin Miller was
critical of his successor's decision to agree to a form of a
salary tax. While MLBPA Exec Dir Don Fehr consults with Miller,
he did not inform him of his salary tax proposal until after it
was on the table. Miller, from an interview with the Toronto
GLOBE & MAIL: "I was shocked when I heard Don proposed that. I
would never have proposed that -- not in a million years. I
think Don and the players will live to regret that one. ... It
was plain appeasement." Miller also referred to mediator William
Usery as "stupid"; said President Clinton had "no business
sticking his nose in"; called the baseball media "lazy" and
"management-oriented"; and acknowledged that the players have
serious image problems (Marty York, Toronto GLOBE & MAIL, 4/11).
BROADCAST NEWS: With 2nd quarter ad dollars gone and the
3rd quarter "already very tight," broadcasters "will find it
difficult to lure advertisers back to baseball. ... Many local
and regional broadcasters say the best they can hope for is a 75%
sellout" (Jeff Jensen, AD AGE, 4/10). Phillies President Bill
Giles, who predicts a $200-400M loss this year, said a better TV
deal is one way to recoup those losses. The Baseball Network has
another year remaining, but CBS and Fox are interested in the
next round of bidding. And Giles is working on an all-baseball
cable network, The Baseball Channel. Giles: "In the long run,
there's definite growth in television. I'm not so sure about the
short-term -- this year and next year. But by the year 1999 or
2000, I think we'll be in good shape there" (Jayson Stark,
PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 4/11).
RICH TEAM, POOR TEAM: ABC's Bob Jamieson reported on the
Expos and Braves, and the difference between the small-and big-
market teams ("World News Tonight," ABC, 4/10).
