By Michael Faccibene, Account Executive
(Photo courtesy of MLB)
Anyone who avidly follows the major sports in America knows that MLB has always struggled to gain or maintain viewers around the country. Historically, the NBA and NFL have been very proactive about growing their brands.
In attempts to get younger crowds interested in football, the NFL launched their “Play 60” campaign which encourages kids to get outside and be active for 60 minutes every day. They released a lot of commercials featuring kids playing football with stars from the league to promote the campaign.
The NBA’s growth has spurred from something a little different from the NFL. Player sponsorship deals have opened many doors for their brand to expand. Players like LeBron James, Kobe and Michael Jordan are not only recognized for their skills on the court, but also for their custom shoes and clothing off the court.
While MLB has made strides to gain viewers, they have not entirely been successful. In the past, MLB commissioners have been reluctant about answering questions surrounding the notoriety of baseball, and have denied any blame for the lack of growth within the sport.
However, on October 1, 2019, MLB took a big step in the right direction. They released a campaign for the 2019 postseason titled, “We Play Loud.” The commercial released in conjunction with the campaign featured highlights of some of baseball’s young stars playing against, and with some of the games’ legends. The campaign’s main purpose was to emphasize the sport’s young core of energetic and passionate personalities.
(Photo courtesy of MLB)
Most people’s problem with baseball is that it’s a slow-paced sport that lacks energy and excitement. With this campaign, MLB directly targeted those criticisms and attacked head-on. According to MLB’s Senior Vice President of Marketing Barbara McHugh, the campaign “showcases our young, diverse superstar players and the emotion and excitement that they bring to the field on a day-in-and-day-out basis.”
As a die-hard baseball fan, this campaign was extremely appealing to me. It was the first time I had seen anything remotely like it. Seeing future and current stars of the sport clashing head-to-head with past legends was incredibly unique. The contrast between the current players in color and former players in black and white also allows the viewer to appreciate the change the game has seen over time.
Yes, baseball is not exactly fast-paced and not always exciting to watch. However, Major League Baseball is full of talented players who are extremely passionate and energetic about the sport they play. Hopefully down the road more people will appreciate baseball for what it is, and the game will continue to grow around America, and the world.
For more information on MLB’s “We Play Loud” campaign visit: https://www.mlb.com/news/mlb-unveils-we-play-loud-campaign