5 Comments

I’m with you in finding it all obnoxious and crass marketing and capitalism at its worst but I think it’s true that people will get used to it. The backlash will be short lived and created mostly by journalists. I’m no traditionalist per se — I do like a lot of the changes to the game: the three batter minimum for relievers, 5 visits to the mound, and the universal DH — but when it becomes all about money, it turns me off. I attend far fewer games because of how expensive it’s gotten.

You are right that all the added revenue will do nothing to slow to ticket price increases.

But I will push back against your using the A’s as an example of obnoxious marketing. Really, yellow cleats? What about all those horrible Astro uniforms of the 70s and 80s? Those could have been seen as a nausea inducing distraction device…:)

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You should take a gander at the jerseys that cricket players wear. Ads everywhere! They’re like a fast moving billboard when they run between the wickets!

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Or soccer players in Mexican/Latin leagues. They put NASCAR to shame!

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I had no idea! The cynical ones among us (of which I am one) have to bite the bullet, I suppose, and thank Mr. Manfred for waiting as long as he did to have us swimming in the pool of the filthy lucre!😊

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It'll be interesting to see how US baseball fans respond to their stars being so festooned!😲👀

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