Major League Baseball, in contrast, throws up an idea and then, at the first sign of opposition, turns tail. Witness the swift about-face over “Spider-Man 2.” Recall how public criticism last year compelled the league to fold its plans to put players in National and American League jerseys for the All-Star Game.
Each flip-flop exacerbates the perception that MLB is unsure of how best to market its product and how to take bold steps while effectively answering critics who claim the game has sold out. The league has the worst of both worlds — motivated by business partners rather than fans, but not willing to stand by those partners.
MLB needs to get a grip on its marketing. If league strategists have a good idea, they should embrace it and weather the storm from purists; that’s the way interleague play and the wild card were handled. Nobody enjoys the criticism that accompanies change, but we hope MLB is not so thin-skinned that its leadership won’t stand by ideas it considers to have merit.
The real danger to MLB is not Spider-Man on first base but the perception that it doesn’t know how to appeal to Americans any more.
