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Posts Tagged ‘Major League Baseball’

Major League Baseball and Sponsors

July 23rd, 2009 admin No comments

Think about your favorite sports team and then think about the sponsors that have associated with the organization.  It does not matter what sport, just close your eyes or take a pen and paper and try and write down as many businesses that are associated with your team.

How many can you immediately name?  Have they made enough of an impact to register in your long term memory?  Has your impression of these brands improved since they struck a sponsorship deal?  They certainly spend enough money to affiliate with a building/team/organization and the visual or stagnant advertising is just one component

So I did a little experiment on Wednesday evening and while watching ESPN, I tried to ignore the highlights and write down as many businesses as I could that received exposure, long enough for me to recognize the name and to scribble it down on scratch paper. You certainly do not tune in to ESPN to watch sponsor visibility but it is certainly a part of why sponsors affiliate with teams.

Your Ad Could Be Here

Here is what I saw from the following baseball highlights.

St. Louis Cardinals at Houston Astros

Dasani Water

Best Buy

First Community Bank

Corona Beer

Admini Staff

C&D

Farmer’s

Chicago Cubs at Philadelphia Phillies

Modells

Citizens Bank

Turkey Hall

Chevydealer.com

Milwaukee Brewers at Pittsburgh Pirates

Consul Energy

Trib

FSN

New Era

San Francisco Giants at Atlanta Braves

Sun Trust

Coca Cola

Zep

Geico

Aaron’s

Baltimore Orioles at New York Yankees

Modells

Toyota

Pepsi

Pepsi max

Sony

Hass

Casio

Avis

Ford

Delta

Ford

Mastercard

Budweiser

Corporate Exposure Seen in two or more baseball parks.

Stanley

State Farm

Stubhub

Any sane corporation is not relying solely on a static advertising program as part of its affiliation with a sports team. Those days are long gone for smart businesses.  Today, It is all about activation and return on investment (ROI).  Many times, the first step for a partner is to baseline or measure the amount of awareness the brand has with its fans.  It then moves into programs on how to improve the brand image with the team and finally ways to sell more goods and services to the same fans.  More about this in a different post.

A few other items I noticed while looking for sponsors.

* The Signs at Yankees stadium are larger than most fo the other stadiums I saw and it was easier to read the names of its sponsors.

* Exposure from company logos behind home plate received the most time in the highlights, but a few of the signs had a bad design, including one from Minute Maid, that read “Kids Free All Summer.”  I really could not understand the message and it took an extra large focus to see it was in fact, Minute Maid.

* A few of the stadiums continue to have sight lines that do not support some of the signage being sold.

For Major League Baseball and Sponsors, the exposure still adds up to a winning formula for the sport.

NBA Returns to China

July 22nd, 2009 admin No comments

With the Major League Baseball trading deadline nine days away, the National Basketball Association grabbed some of the news limelight Wednesday when the league announced it is returning to China this fall when the Denver Nuggets and Indiana Pacers take the long road to Beijing for a 2009 pre-season game on October 11.

The game will mark the re-opening of the refurbished 17,000-seat Wukesong Arena, the same venue used in the basketball competition at last year’s Beijing Olympics.

Nba_logo

With Yao Ming out for the entire season due to foot problems, the NBA tapped the Nuggets who advanced to the Western Conference finals before falling to eventual champion Los Angeles Lakers.

“The Wukesong Arena is an outstanding facility that we are proud to call the home of the NBA in Beijing,” NBA China chief executive Tim Chen said in a press released sent out by the NBA.

The pre-season game is just part of an extensive effort by the NBA to feature its game in Asia and around the world this fall.  Other pre-season games include:

* The Chicago Bulls and the Utah Jazz playing in London on October 6th

* The Utah Jazz will entertain the Euroleague’s Real Madrid in Madrid on October 8th

* The Phoenix Suns and the Philadelphia 76ers are scheduled to meet in Monterrey, Mexico on Oct. 18.

* Taiwan will also see its first ever NBA game when the Nuggets and Pacers will play in Taipei on Oct. 8.

Overall it appears to be a very aggressive pre-season for a handful of NBA players and their respective teams.  According to the press release, the NBA has staged a total of 93 games outside of the U.S. and Canada in 31 cities in 16 countries and territories.

You can read the official release by the NBA, click on the logo above.

Sports Jobs and Links to Apply

May 15th, 2009 admin No comments

The week is quickly winding down and people continue to ask me about leads for sports jobs.  In order to help meet that demand, I have researched and posted job descriptions and links to apply for positions with  Major League Baseball (MLB), National Hockey League (NHL), Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), with IMG and AEG.  There a lot more out there, so do your research, find out who you might know within these organizations and apply!  These positions are located in Oakland California, China, Lexington Kentucky, Las Vegas and St. Paul, Minnesota

 

oakland

 

 

 

 

 

Public Relations Seasonal Intern

 The Oakland Athletics are seeking qualified candidates to work as a seasonal intern in the public relations office during the second half of the 2009 season. The intern, who will receive a $500 stipend, is expected to work between 30-40 hours a week when the team is at home. Starting date is June 22 and the position ends with the conclusion of the season.

Duties include, but are not limited to:
• Produce game notes for A’s game program and luxury suites
• Assist in production of post-game notes during game
• Copy and distribute game notes, statistics, lineups and additional game day information
• Assist public relations staff in all game day and press box operations
• Facilitate media requests in press box during game
• Assist the media relations staff on specific events
• Assist in various projects for the A’s website
• Other public relations duties and research projects as assigned

Qualifications: 
• Currently enrolled in either an undergraduate or graduate college or university program or have graduated within the past 6 months
• Basic knowledge of baseball and official scoring
• Self starter and multi-task oriented with minimal supervision 
• Excellent customer service, interpersonal and decision-making skills
• Organized, able to follow directions and meet all deadlines established 
• Ability to work flexible hours including nights, weekends and occasional holidays
• Professional image and demeanor

Link to Apply

 

min38

 

 

 

 

Media Relations Internship – Minnesota Wild (St. Paul, MN)

Position Summary This full-time paid internship provides support and serves as an administrator for the development and execution of day-to-day media relations activities for Minnesota Wild. Along with daily activity, this role is responsible for pitching story ideas to local and national media members plus developing good working relationships with local media members including the club’s beat writers. Candidates should be passionate, dedicated and willing to work collaboratively within a team environment. This paid internship is an excellent opportunity for recent college graduates seeking an internship opportunity within a professional sports and entertainment organization.

Essential Duties/Responsibilities

 Produce, distribute and organize daily press clippings for staff and media
 Assist in the handling and distribution of season and individual media credentials
 Assist in the production and distribution of game notes prior to each game
 Ensure proper materials such as stats, clips and game notes are produced and available for media at practices and games
 Develop strong working relationships with beat writers and other members of the local media
 Pitch story ideas to local and national print, and broadcast media outlets
 Assist department in writing and distribution of press releases and other team related material such as media guide, game program stories and wild.com content
 Distribute packets to visiting media and team members prior to each home game
 Press box set-up and clean-up for all Wild and Swarm home games
 Assist community relations department with events and appearances
 Other duties and projects as assigned

Skills/Qualifications

 College degree preferred in journalism, communication, public relations or related field
 Sports experience in media, public relations or related field a plus
 Ability and willingness to work full-time extended or unusual hours including evenings, weekends and/or holidays 
 Attention to detail with excellent written and verbal communication skills
 Results oriented with proven ability to successfully prioritize and manage multiple projects 
 Excellent organizational and time-management skills 
 Ability to work well independently within a team and results oriented environment 
 Proficient computer skills with ability to use Microsoft Office and Outlook 
 Available through June of 2010
 
Minnesota Sports and Entertainment (MSE) Company Overview
Minnesota Sports & Entertainment (MSE) family of businesses includes Minnesota Wild of the National Hockey League (NHL), Houston Aeros of the American Hockey League (AHL) as well as Saint Paul Arena Company which operates Xcel Energy Center, Saint Paul RiverCentre and the Legendary Roy Wilkins Auditorium. In addition, MSE also includes Minnesota Wild Hockey Lodge stores at Xcel Energy Center and Mall of America.

The MSE organization is committed to fostering an environment that acknowledges and values the contributions of each employee. Our staff consists of dedicated, service-oriented professionals who are committed to our guests, our organization, our partners and each other. Our core values are Passion, Excellence, Caring and Teamwork.

MISSION STATEMENT
Building winning relationships with our guests, communities and partners by providing world-class venues for unique sports, entertainment and business experiences

Link to Apply

 

ufcwecboth

 

Spring 2010 Sponsorship Internship – Ultimate Fighting Championship (Las Vegas, NV)

This program offers the intern the opportunity to become directly involved in the sales and servicing activities that are part of the daily operations of the department. We strive to make this a challenging and interesting experience for the intern and make every effort to tailor it to the specific skills, and projects that the intern would like to be included in. This department contributes to the organization through promotion of UFC and WEC products to targeted organizations with the goal of forming partnerships that are mutually beneficial. Additionally, this department contributes to the organization’s bottom line through revenue generation.
• Assists sales and sponsorship with all day-to-day activities.
• Assists with presentation preparation.
• Participates in direct communication activities with current and prospective clients.

 Minimum Qualifications:

Intern would be expected to be able to conduct research projects and draft contracts with appropriate supervision. May also be called upon to draft correspondence, track pending legislation, and to otherwise assist Legal team with their duties.
1. Must be enrolled in an academic program that is relevant to sales and/or sponsorship activities.
2. Junior, Senior or graduate level preferred.
3. Must receive academic credit for internship. 
4. Solid written and verbal communication skills.
5. Ability to organize and effectively present analyses and concepts. 
6. Ability to maintain discretion and confidential information.
7. Excellent organizational skills.
8. Excellent attention to detail.
9. Excellent working knowledge of Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and Outlook, and ability to learn other basic computer programs.

Must be able to work at least 30 hours per week for summer semester and at least 15 hourse for fall or spring semesters. Must be able to work for a minimum of one semester.

This is an unpaid internship and does not provide housing, relocation or transportation assistance.

Link to Apply

 

Communications: Publications         

Executive Editor – IMG College/Associations (ISPA) (Lexington, KY)

 

 

 

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Responsible for all stages of publishing for Pulse and LiveSpa magazines. 
  o Approves annual production schedule. Works with Production Team to determine print dates.
  o Direct liaison with Production Team for all quotes and pricing.
  o Responsible for meeting production deadlines.
  o Reviews and signs off on all proofs.

• Responsible for managing and mentoring the assistant editor.

• Responsible for grammatical accuracy, clarity, completeness, appropriateness for intended audience and conformity to established standard format guidelines for Pulse and LiveSpa.

• Writes articles, columns and other pertinent material for Pulse.

• Conducts research to develop industry-related material for all Pulse departments and articles.

• Also manage any staff and freelancers who contribute to the magazine.

• Recruits authors, executes author contracts, negotiates freelance fees in consideration of budget, oversees rights and permissions, approves revisions and sets all deadlines.

• Works closely with designer to create a publication that graphically meets the standards set for Pulse.
  o Researches and purchases photography for the magazine, particularly cover art.
  o Collaborates with designer in the development of feature story designs.

• Creates and maintains ISPA editorial guidelines, known as the ISPA Style Guide. Sends out new updates to entire staff as needed.

• Leads regular editorial meetings, developing immediate and long-range objectives and projects.

• Responsible for production of annual Pulse Editorial Calendar.

• Responsible for all publishing aspects of Pulse, including the editorial operating budget and working with sales staff to review revenue goals.
  o Regularly monitors and updates annual budget.
  o Responsible for determining page count for each issue based on ad pages sold, budget numbers,   editorial, etc.
  o Determines costs and revenues required to add additional pages if needed.

• Prepares financial objectives by assisting in preparing the annual budget, scheduling expenditures, analyzing financial variance reports and paying all invoices submitted by outside vendors.
  o Works with outside vendors to obtain pricing quotes for annual budget. Negotiates costs when necessary.
  o Responsible for any necessary financial comparisons to determine most qualified and cost-effective vendor.
  o Collaborates with sales staff to determine sales objectives and budget numbers for the next fiscal year.

• Works with sales staff to meet the needs of both the reader and the advertiser, without compromising editorial integrity.
  o Reviews all advertisements during final production stage to ensure quality and advertiser satisfaction.

• Assists with the planning, development and implementation of strategies for generating resources and/or revenues for the organization as needed.
  o Responsible for the development of any new publications, including all budgetary implications, production and editorial.

• Covers the ISPA Conference & Expo for Pulse.

• Serves as editor of The Daily Pulse, the on-site newsletter at the ISPA Conference.

• Attends annual ISPA events when possible.

• Serves as editor for ISPA member communications as needed.

• Serve on ISPA’s senior management team, which involves knowledge of all areas of the association and its business opportunities.

POSITION REQUIREMENTS:
• Degree in journalism, English or related field.
• Strong editing, writing and organizational skills.
• Highly motivated and creative.
• Strong analytical and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.



Communications: Writer         

Public Relations Specialist – IMG College/Associations (National Tour Association) (Lexington, KY)

 

 

 

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

1. Responsible for managing a comprehensive public and media relations program to support the association’s strategic goals and brand identity; includes analysis of media coverage, proactive and reactive media assistance, monitoring national news to find fit for NTA angle, and development of relationships with key media representatives.

2. Writes news releases and other media-related materials, including speaking points and interview prep material.

3. Ghost write articles, columns and letters for NTA leaders to promote association brand identity and messages.

4. Writes housekeeping remarks for Spring Meet and Annual Convention.

5. Oversees media activities at the Annual Convention (media registration, media office, media forums, general media assistance); also oversees guest invitations for the Annual Convention.

6. Responsible for NTA e-newsletters (serves as editor and writer) including the weekly Tuesday, the bi-monthly prospect newsletter and the bi-monthly Grassroots Action Network newsletter.

7. Assist with crisis communications planning.

8. Assist with budget development.

9. Some travel and event attendance required including the Annual Convention.

10. Additional duties as assigned by the Vice President of Communications.
POSITION REQUIREMENTS:

1. Degree in public relations, journalism, English or related field

2. Strong verbal and written communications skills

3. Media background, including work with print, Web and broadcast journalists

4. Background in HTML coding and CMS

5. Highly motivated and creative with ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines

 

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AEG Company: AEG China
Company Information: Anschutz Entertainment Group, Inc. (“AEG”) is a subsidiary of The Anschutz Company and one of the leading sports and entertainment presenters in the world. AEG owns a collection of companies including multi-use facilities such as STAPLES Center and Home Depot Center in Southern California, several sports franchises including the Los Angeles Kings (NHL) and Los Angeles Galaxy (MLS) and AEG LIVE, one of the world’s leading concert promotion and touring companies. AEG is also currently overseeing the development of L.A. LIVE, a 4 million sq. ft. downtown L.A. sports, residential and entertainment district.
Job Title: Arena Event Manager
Facility / Location: AEG China
City: Beijing
State: China
External Job Description: The Event Manager will develop, instruct, maintain, implement and manage all events at specific AEG venues in China. The Event Manager will act as direct liaison between the building and outside promoters hosting events at AEG’s China facilities.        

Essential Job Functions:

The individual must possess the following knowledge, skills, and abilities to explain and demonstrate that he or she can perform the essential functions of the job, with or without reasonable accommodation, using some other combination of skills and abilities.

•Develops and manages all aspects of events as assigned by the Director. 
•Instructs, and train event coordinator on all aspects of event logistics. 
•Serves as primary contact to clients and acts as primary liaison in providing and determining their needs, in order to accomplish as successful event. 
•Maintain a positive rapport and form strong client, vendor, and civic entities.. 
•Implement facility rules, regulations, policies and procedures. 
•Anticipate problems and appropriate solutions. 
•Compile and communicate all events requirements to venue’s various departments. 
•Directs and delegates necessary responsibilities within venue’s departments. 
•Provides and distributes production notes for each event. 
•Schedules production meeting with the various venue department heads. 
•Manages event expenses and keeps within budgetary parameters. 
•Works with Director of Event Services to prepare event estimates. 
•Acts as liaison between primary and affiliated venues to cross train the teams. 
•Works closely with the Director of Event Services to prepare and review event costs and invoices for settlement. 

Education:

•Any combination of education and experience equivalent to graduation from high school or any other combination of education, training or experience that provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities. 
•High School diploma required. College degree preferred. 
•3-4 years experience planning and managing events, preferably theatre productions, award shows, concerts and other live entertainment events. Previous experience at a high-profile sports/theatre/any other entertainment venue strongly preferred. 
•No license required. 

Experience:

•Capable of working in a fast-paced environment. 
•Must be highly organized, resourceful, quick learner and able to handle multiple project simultaneously. 
•Must be able to operate within designated budget. 
•Exceptional guest and client service capabilities. 
•Enterprising and self starter with the ability to work with minimal supervision. 
•Ability to work well with different responsibilities in a fast paced environment and constant deadlines. 
•Ability to handle highly sensitive and confidential information. 
•Ability to access and accurately input information using a moderately complex computer system. 
•Ability to work under pressure, recognize problems and find solutions. 
•Ability to handle a variety of day –to-day tasks. 
•Ability to read, listen and communicate effectively in English, both verbally and in writing. 
•Ability to speak and write Mandarin and/or Cantonese 
•Ability to work well with fellow staff members. 
•Ability to work evenings and weekends. 
•Ability to work long irregular hours for an extended period of time as dictated by events and schedule. 

Other: 
•3-5 years of business experience in Asia preferred. 
•Mandarin language skills, spoken and written, required.

Link to apply is here        

 

 

 

Sponsorship 101 for Baseball

April 29th, 2009 admin No comments

Sponsorship.  It is as mainstream in sports as any concession stand, but once upon a time, mainstream media saw this as taboo.  I remember having to fight with the Los Angeles Times and the Orange Country Register, two established newspaper outlets in Southern California, to include Disneyland in a title sponsorship deal as lead name of a college basketball tournament.

 

How far we have come.  That got me thinking.  As the Major League Baseball gets into full swing, who are their corporate sponsors and how do they divide them up? 

Baseball has divided up sponsorship rights into three unique categories:  Official Major League Baseball Partners, Official partners of MLB and Official Online Team Partners.

Exclusivity, first rights of refusal, overlapping areas of coverage all play into the roles and budgets of these businesses that have partnered directly with MLB offices and its team.  Here is a breakdown by sponsor area of commitment.

 

Official Major League Baseball Partners

• Anheuser-Busch
• Bank of America
• Bayer (One a Day)
• DHL
• FIA Card Service, NA
• Frito Lay
• Gatorade
• Gillette
• General Motors (Chevrolet)
• InterContinental Hotels Group (Holiday Inn)
• KPMG
• MasterCard International
• Nike
• Pepsi-Cola
• Sharp
• State Farm
• Taco Bell
• XM Satellite Radio

 

 

Official Partners of MLB.com

• Bank of America
• Bayer (One a Day)
• Best Buy
• Beth Israel
• Bigelow Tea
• Blackberry
• Cisco
• DHL
• ESPN
• FIA Card Service, NA
• Frito-Lay
• General Motors (Chevrolet)
• Gillette
• InterContinental Hotels Group (Holiday Inn)
• MasterCard International
• Nike
• Pepsi-Cola
• Pfizer (Viagra)
• Sharp
• Sports Illustrated
• State Farm
• Taco Bell

 

Official Online Team Sponsors

• AAA
• Ampm
• Apple Vacations
• Athletico
• AT&T
• AutoTrader.com
• Baby Ruth
• Bentley College
• Centerpoint Energy
• Chicago Board Options Exchange
• Chicago Jobs
• Cincinnati Bell
• Cincinnati Bell Yellow Pages
• Continental Airlines
• Deutsche Bank
• Dunkin Donuts
• Fathead
• Ford
• Foxwoods
• Frontier Airlines
• Gilman Ciocia
• Gulf Oil
• Hilton St. Louis at the Ballpark
• Kwik Trip
• Jet Blue
• Midwest Airlines
• Midwest Orthopedics
• Miller Lite
• Sharp USA
• Smuckers
• Sony
• Sprint
• St. Petersburg Times
• Toyota
• Verizon Wireless

 


The Cost of a Baseball Game and More

April 15th, 2009 admin No comments

Happy Tax day.  Hope it is not too painful for you today or this season.  On to sports business.  Bill Shaikin, the Los Angeles Times Baseball writer filed a Sunday story where he tackled ticket pricing for Major League Baseball’s 30 teams.

In it, he referenced a Team Marketing Report (see my link to this trade media web site on the right rail)  study that compared ticket prices for each team in 2009 compared to 2008.

First a few thoughts about TMR’s results as it is listed in the LA Times.

The New York Yankees average ticket price for 2009 is the highest in baseball at $72.97 while the Arizona Diamondbacks the lowest at $14.31 per person.

Biggest increase year-over-year goes to the Yankees, from $41.40 in ’08 to $72.97.  That is an increase of more than 76 percent.  Comment:  Yikes, an AVERAGE ticket of almost $75 bucks a person and an increase of 76%?  That’s 300 bones for four just for tickets.

If you look at all 30 teams, half either kept the average ticket pricing flat or reduced it Y-O-Y.  Teams that fell into this category:

Chicago White Sox


Los Angeles Dodgers


Houston Astros


Oakland A’s


Baltimore Orioles


Cleveland Indians


Los Angeles Angels


San Diego Padres


Colorado Rockies


Cincinnati Reds


Toronto Blue Jays


Atlanta Braves


Pittsburgh Pirates


Arizona Diamondbacks

The 2009 League ticket average is $26.64, or $106 dollars and change for four people.  Comment:  Shaikin does point out in his story that teams have special ticket pricing as low as $1 per ticket.  However the TMR study, according to Shaikin’s story says “the cost of four tickets at the average price, four hot dogs, four sodas, two beers, two caps and parking comes to $196.79 at the average major league park this season.”

Overall a ver good story and an interesting survey by TMR.

I would like to take it this concept a step further.  While the ticket comparison is interesting, each market has a potential variance depending on where you live, the cost of living and the cost of competition.

Let’s take Southern California as a prime example since I live here.  While the Angeles, Dodgers and San Diego Padres could be comparable, it would have been nice to see a side bar on the cost for tickets or a Day to Disneyland, Universal Studios or a concert at the Hollywood Bowl.  You might think about it but the world famous Pageant of the Masters is competition as well.  Sports executives like to comment all the time that competition for the consumer dollar is always tough here because there are so many things to do.  …and trust me, there is.

So on any given day, the movies, beach, skiing (in the winter), college sports (UCLA, USC, and of course my Anteaters of UC Irvine) are always going to factor on how people spend their discretionary dollars and time.  The Lakers, Clippers, events at the Home Depot Center, Tennis, on and on.  They are all competition.  A study of all one-day events in a certain region would be terrific.

I am not targeting Shaikin.  He is a terrific writer, but executives should have a competition chart of all possible ways their target audience COULD be spending their time if they have decided not to attend that sporting event.  Hope you have 

Computers, TV, March Madness (MMOD)

March 20th, 2009 admin No comments

In the early 1990′s, pre-internet now folks, I remember how we used to keep tabs on Major League Baseball scores from the Dodgers front office.  There was a designated Sports Ticker computer located near the office entrance and you could watch (slowly) the scores being updated.

Then for special events like the college basketball tournament, I remember hearing friends disappearing at sports bars to watch as many games as possible.  While this still happens, the technology has changed yet again.

How times have changed.  You can now click and watch live NCAA Tournament basketball games from the comfort of your computer.  While I only tried this yesterday during lunch-time, the picture was clear, the movement easy and I was able to see the action in real time.

ESPN has links from its basketball central homepage.  You can just click on the “watch live” buttons below the live game of interest.  The site then takes you to a lead in commercial and you not only see the game action but related commercials as well.

madness

The initial commercials you see when clicking are presented by one of the NCAA March Madness on Demand Sponsors which include Coke Zero, AT&T or Pontiac.

The site also offers real time stats, if you need or want to view them with links in the same area.  Here is what they look like.

stats

If you’d like the link to watch the games, here it is.

Happy viewing and enjoy TV on the internet

It’s A Small World After All – MLB Baseball Job in Asia

March 17th, 2009 admin No comments

From Rush Limbaugh to the 2009 World Baseball Classic, we get up close and personal with Major League baseball Sports Executive Jim Small an executive with 24 years of expereince in the sport.

Name: Jim Small

Title: Vice President, Asia
Team/Organization: Major League Baseball
Years with Organization: 24

1. Describe your position and current responsibilities. 

I am responsible for MLB’s  sales, maketing and grass roots activities throughout Asia.  MLB’s target markets in Asia are Japan, Korea, China and Chinese Taipei.

2. Tell us about your first job in sports.

I was an intern with the Kansas City Royals in 1982 and my main responsibility was to open player’s mail, make copies and get coffee for my bosses. One of my bosses was Rush Limbaugh, who was the promotions director at the time.

3. What was best advice ever received?

From former Chicago Cubs general manager Dallas Green:  “Keep your highs low and your lows high.”

4. What sports memory are you most fond of telling to others?

“I worked for MLB in the PR department in 1988. I was standing next to the batting cage in the bowels of Dodgers Stadium late in Game 1 of the World Series.  Kirk Gibson was hitting off a tee and asked a batboy to get Tommy Lasoroda, the maneger.  When Lasorda arrived, Gibson (who could barely walk because of an injured leg) told him “I got one in me skip.”  An inning later he hit one of the most dramatic home runs in baseball history.  Pretty cool.”

5. Describe the area(s) of opportunity for growth in your business.

Baseball has a tremendous future in China and MLB will be part of that.  The Chinese consider baseball an Asian sport and just as they want to lead Asia in business, culture and the arts, so to do they want to lead in sports, including baseball.  We have been investing heavily in grassroots programs in China since 2001 and starting to see the fruits.  There are now four players playing in our minor leagues with the Yankees and Mariners and at the Beijing games, China surprised the world by being Chinese Taipei and nearly beating eventual champion Korea. MLB games are shown on television stations around the country and we recently have opened 70 retail outlets selling MLB products…..so the future is bright for both MLB and baseball in China.

 

6. What are the biggest challenges that face your business today?

Like all sports, we look at the current financial crisis and realize we need to make sure that we are providing value for the dollar.  I think baseball is well positioned to remain a viable entertainment choice around the world.

7. How is major League Baseball doing business differently in these economic times?

I can only speak about our Asia business.  We have been fortunate to sell several news sponsorships in both Japan and China in the past few months.  I think the key is providing value to our sponsors.  While advertising budgets have shrunk, they have not disappeared.  Companies are more careful about where they spend their money in Asia.  In a place like Japan, we have found that companies are interested in spending their money in more established, well known and proven properties and I think that puts us in a great position.

8. How has this business changed in the last five years?

I think that Sports Merketing in Asia has matured greatly in the past five years.  Sponsors, licensees and customers are more sophisticated and have a clearer idea of what they are looking to accomplish with their sports marketing programs.  Again, I think that puts us in a great position.

9. What are the kinds of things do you look for when recruiting senior leadership?

As I am working in multiple business cultures — the Chinese, Japanese, Korean and American cultures are all unique — I look for people who can recognize cultural differences and still accomplish their business goals. In order to be successful in international business you need to be flexible, patient and tenacious.  I think these are all things I look for in our staff.

10. Finish this sentence. If I had to do it all over again, I would start by…..

……learning a foreign language at 13 years old instead of 43 years old.

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If you are interested in learning more about MLB’s efforts in China, Click here

The league’s international web site is also here

World Baseball Classic Home Site Link

Pitcher Chan Ho Park Might be My Last Active Link to Major League Baseball

February 22nd, 2009 admin No comments

With spring training baseball games about 10 days away, I took a moment to think about my final year with the Los Angeles Dodgers.  It was15 years ago, when a shy rookie from South Korea joined the team for the first time at Dodgertown in Florida.

Chan Ho Park and I hit it off right away even though we could not communicate very well.  He had a translator and was learning the English language, but we built an instant bond and it lasted well beyond spring training.

Park, now with the World Series champion Philadelphia Phillies, is coming off a solid 2008 season where he compiled a 4-4 record with a 3.40 ERA in 54 games during his second stint with the Dodgers.

Why do I bring up Park?  Because he might be the only player still in the big leagues from my time in Major League Baseball.  Former Dodger and New York Met Pedro Martinez would be a second, but he is still looking for a job with a team.

Park, has a career 117-92 career record and in addition to the LA Dodgers he has also played for the Texas Rangers, San Diego Padres and New York Mets. Each December a simple Christmas card arrives in the mail and I watch his family grow via  the photos.

 One of the best parts about working in MLB is the interesting people meet from around the world.  Chan Ho, Pedro and the other players I had the privilege of working with while in Los Angeles made the experience a special one.

 During our final visit together in Vero Beach that spring, Chan Ho and I sat together along with his interpreteur.  He knew I was leaving the Dodgers and moving to Israel for my next adventure.  He did not want me to forget him.  As I got up to leave, Chan Ho pulled out a small box and presented it to me.  When I opened the box, I found a traditional South Korean children’s outfit.  I quickly learned that this was Chan Ho’s as a child and he brought it with him to Florida for good luck.  Now, he wanted me to have it for my journey.

 I did not feel comfortable taking but he convinced me to do so.  I carefully packed it away with my things and took it with me.  The outfit stayed with me through all eight years in Israel.  It brought me good fortune as well