All tagged baseball

Jesse Cole: How to REALLY put your fans first

Jesse Cole: How to REALLY put your fans first

Rich Clarke
podcast

Many sports organisations say they put the fans first, however no one is doing it quite like the Savannah Bananas.

Since Jesse Cole took over this 'very minor' minor league baseball outfit, crowds at their 'shows' have gone from a few hundred to 4,000 sell-outs for season upon season.

The formula is simple - taking out all of the friction fans face in attending an event and replacing it with pure, unadulterated fun.

Every ticket is all-you-can-eat, there is no advertising in the stadium and they have no corporate sponsorship. Almost nothing is spent on marketing, instead, a host of fan-friendly antics and activations garner them attention.

Julian Valentin: Rockies, social media and ballpark figures

Julian Valentin: Rockies, social media and ballpark figures

Rich Clarke
podcast

In terms of digital and social media, Major League Baseball is perhaps the most enigmatic sport in the world.

We are constantly told that America’s pastime is past its prime. It is an ‘aging sport’ that is struggling to hold on to the coat-tails of the major players, NBA and NFL whilst coming under increasing pressure from up-and-coming sports like soccer.

However, MLB Advanced Media and incarnations were at the very forefront of innovation long before other sports started to plough resources into digital and continue to be a leading light.

The Colorado Rockies are not the most fashionable team in baseball but they have built a reputation for quirky interaction and content with personality.

Julian Valentin leads the strategy at Coors Field. With the 2019 baseball season fast approaching we discussed the past, present and future for the Rockies and how the hell his team covers 162 regular seasons games!

Josh Chetwynd: Major League Baseball makes its UK pitch

Josh Chetwynd: Major League Baseball makes its UK pitch

Rich Clarke
podcast

Josh Chetwynd is the UK’s Mr Baseball.

He captained his country and then carved out a career as a broadcaster on Major League Baseball for the BBC and Channel 5.

He has also been a minor league player in the US, agent, international team manager and has written books on the topic.

Therefore he is perfectly positioned to explain the challenge baseball faces in finding a foothold in the UK and Europe.

It was announced recently that the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees will play a pair of games at London in 2019.

Josh and I look forward to those games, the game’s history in Europe, MLB’s international expansion and the issues the game is having in the US.