May 6th, 2004
Spidey Gets on Base
By Michael Hiestand
USA Today
Major League Baseball has hung "for sale" signs on its bases.
From June 11-13, its sacks will sport ads for the first time. Through a promotion for the Sony film Spider-Man 2, the 15 ballparks hosting games that weekend will put a 4-by-4-inch logo, based on the action hero’s web, on the bases and on-deck circles.
MLB marketer Jacqueline Parkes said Wednesday that such "on-field branding elements" can help "event-ize the game." The idea is to "leverage our content" and create something "relevant and meaningful" to attract kids to the sport, she said. And, sheadded, "The brand equities of Spider-Man and baseball marry up perfectly."
Baseball will get about $ 3.6 million in the Sony deal. And MLB President Bob DuPuy doesn’t see a downside: "Any criticism is misplaced. It doesn’t detract from the game."
There are critics. "It’s time for fans to stand up to the greedy corporations that are insulting us and our national pastime," said Gary Ruskin, who directs Commercial Alert, a non-profit advocacy group calling for a boycott of Sony.
Former MLB Commissioner Fay Vincent—who also is a former president of Columbia Pictures, the Sony unit releasing Spider-Man 2—told the Associated Press the new ads are "sad" and "the bases should be protected from this."
MLB allowed ads on uniforms during season-opening games in Japan.
"Anything they can sell they will," Fox baseball announcer Joe Buck said. "But I don’t think it will turn people off. It has to be done in a respectful manner."