Movie logos on the bases! Aaargh!

[Chrome]

I can't believe it's come to this ...

05/05/2004 9:14 PM ET

MLB, Spider-Man join forces

By Mark Newman / MLB.com

The Spider-Man 2 logo will adorn bases during games.

They are two longtime entertainment forces that have enjoyed blockbuster box-office success lately, and they both use webbing around the hands to pull off heroic feats that occasionally make you spill the popcorn.

Now they will be united when Major League Baseball and Spider-Man 2 take the field together June 11-13 at the 15 different ballparks hosting games during that Interleague Play weekend, it was announced Wednesday.

Major League Baseball Properties has teamed with Columbia Pictures and Marvel Studios for an unprecedented marketing partnership to support the highly anticipated national release of that motion picture, a sequel to the fifth-highest grossing movie in U.S. history. It will be the latest in a series of events this season that are being jointly coordinated for fans across MLB, including the first Jackie Robinson Day on April 15 and this Sunday's Mother's Day festivities to support the Big Bam! Foundation, a series of activities designed to raise awareness about breast cancer and breast cancer prevention.

During Spider-Man 2 Weekend, which has been scheduled during a segment of the 2004 Interleague Play schedule, ballparks will feature in-park and on-field Spider-Man signage and each Club will feature special Spider-Man promotional events, including giveaways with the world-renowned web crawler. A web logo will appear on bases and on-deck circles during the game, highlights from the movie will run on stadium video boards to promote the motion picture's June 30 release, and MLB Properties and the 15 participating Clubs will promote Spider-Man locally in each market and nationally.

"This is the perfect alliance between two quintessential national pastimes -- baseball and movie-going," said Geoffrey Ammer, president of worldwide marketing for the Colombia TriStar Motion Picture Group. "This partnership celebrates superheroes, whether they are on the field or on the big screen and we are extremely excited about the opportunity to create this unique promotion with Major League Baseball."

Clubs that will be host to Spider-Man 2 Weekend include the Anaheim Angels, Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox, Chicago White Sox, Cleveland Indians, Detroit Tigers, Kansas City Royals, Milwaukee Brewers, Minnesota Twins, New York Yankees, Oakland Athletics, Seattle Mariners, Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Texas Rangers and Toronto Blue Jays. Some clubs will participate for the entire weekend, some for a day, and fans at SkyDome will be able to participate in a Spider-Man sleepover as part of the superhero celebration there.

"Over the past year and a half, we've been doing substantive research to determine the best ways to market the game into the 21st century, and we have overwhelming evidence that we have a property that's . . . never been stronger," said Jacqueline Parkes, senior vice president of advertising and marketing for MLB. "One thing that came out of the research is that we have a huge opportunity with kids, to bring them into the game. We needed to engage them in relevant and meaningful ways.

"(The first Spider-Man) was a phenomenal hit not just to kids but to all generations. . . . The reason we embarked on this relationship with Sony (Columbia's parent company) and Spider-Man 2 is the fact that the brand equity of Spider-Man and Major League Baseball marry up perfectly. They both have huge generational appeal, Americana, so we've got good values."

Bob DuPuy, president of Major League Baseball, said the signage placements for the movie will not detract from the integrity of the actual games. In fact, he said there had been discussions during the year-long talks with Sony to place a web in the netting behind home plate, and that it was rejected.

"It doesn't detract from the game, it adds to the entertainment value of the game," DuPuy said. "We've been accused over the years of not marketing to young people. Spider-Man . . . will be a popular movie across all demographics, and it was a natural fit. It's an effort to provide some modest entertainment and modest excitement and promotional giveaways in a way that doesn't detract at all. Logos on bases won't even be seen from ground-level cameras; it would take an overhead shot."

There will be a web logo on home plate as well, but it will be removed for the start of the game. He added that although this joint-marketing effort around all MLB parks will certainly be a trend that goes through the season -- followed by Father's Day, Fourth of July celebrations of America and then the All-Star festivities -- this does not indicate in any way that Major League Baseball is ready to become one big NASCAR car.

"It's part of our effort to market the game in a holistic style, but mostly to market it to a whole demographic: kids," DuPuy said. "I don't think this portends a significant trend to where promotional opportunities or advertising might be going with baseball. We went through a period, after a century of outfield signage, where we went 20 or 30 years with no outfield signage, and then gradually the outfield signage has come back. It adds a unique flavor and color to each of our individual stadia, which are each unique in their own way.

"The TV eye signage (behind) the plate has become a regular feature of the game, but I don't think this particular promotion, which is again a confluence of the movie industry and baseball with its product, necessarily portends any trend or suggests what next step might be."

There will be similar signage for the next immediate joint marketing effort around MLB parks, this Sunday's Mother's Day celebration at all home ballparks. The tops and sides of bases will feature a pink ribbon with a silhouetted batter, in recognition of the widely known icon for breast cancer awareness.

If recent history is an indication -- and especially with 14 World Series rematches on tap this June -- most ballparks will either be at or near capacity that weekend. So this marketing partnership is not so much about trying to lure fans to a ballpark as it is to add even more entertainment value once they arrive.

"We strategically picked this weekend because kids are out of school, it's a hot day, and we wanted to make sure kids could watch and attend," Parkes said.

DuPuy said all 30 clubs ultimately will receive an equal portion of proceeds given to Major League Baseball Properties for this promotion, with an additional sum going to the home teams that are involved, based in part of their individual level of promotion.

"As with every innovation, the clubs generally have their own ideas," DuPuy said, when asked how individual clubs responded to the idea. "But I would say that this was enthusiastically embraced."

Parkes said the idea of this marketing partnership was brought to Major League Baseball a year ago by McCann Erickson, an advertising agency shared by both Sony and MLB. "They were working on their promotional package for Spider-Man 2," Parkes said, "and they came to us with the opportunity to work with Sony on how to leverage this phenomenal audience they have and this phenomenal audience we have."

[Hardbopjazz]

“As long as it doesn't interfere the play of the game.” That’s what one major league official said. This is too much. Who’s going to see it, the players? It is too small for someone in the stands to read it. Maybe since they did away with playing the national anthem on TV they will begin the games showing the ads on the bases.

[Dan Gould]

I agree that its ridiculous, but the worst part of the commercialization of the league is that green screen behind the plate, that forces you to look at a gigantic ad, or Fox or ESPN promo, everytime they use the centerfield camera.

I F-ing hate it!!!

[PHILLYQ]

Selig and his gang are like a bunch of cheap prostitutes- they'll do anything for $. What's next, ads on the umpires' chest protectors and jackets? ARGGGGGGGGGH!

[Jazzmoose]

I'm just glad I gave up on baseball before the players started looking like NASCAR drivers. I'll always have my memories.

[Hardbopjazz]

NEW YORK - Spider-Man is coming to a base near you. In the latest example of a sponsor's stamp on the sports world, ads for the movie "Spider-Man 2" will be placed atop bases at major league ballparks during games from June 11-13.

AP Photo

The promotion, announced Wednesday, is part of baseball's pitch to appeal to younger fans — and make money along the way.

But the New York Yankees (news), one of 15 teams at home that weekend, balked at the idea after the deal was announced. They will put ads on the bases only during batting practice, and then just for one game, team spokesman Rick Cerrone said.

While commemorative logos have been on bases for special events such as the All-Star game or World Series (news - web sites), the Hall of Fame knew of no other commercial ads on bases, spokesman Jeff Idelson said.

"This was a unique chance to combine what is a sort of a universally popular character and our broad fan base, including the youth market we're trying to reach out to," said Bob DuPuy, baseball's chief operating officer. "It doesn't impact the play or performance of the game."

Nowadays, ads can show up just about anywhere in sports.

Telecasts of major league and college football games, for example, include virtual ads visible just to TV viewers. College football bowl games are named for advertisers. Boxers' backs bear stenciled ads. Just last week, a court ruled that Kentucky Derby jockeys could wear sponsors' patches on their uniforms.

"I guess it's inevitable, but it's sad," said Fay Vincent, a former baseball commissioner and former president of Columbia Pictures, which is releasing "Spider-Man 2."

"I'm old-fashioned. I'm a romanticist. I think the bases should be protected from this. I feel the same way I do when I see jockeys wears ads: Maybe this is progress, but there's something in me that regrets it very much," he added.

Chicago Cubs (news) manager Dusty Baker didn't think it would make a difference.

"I don't care," he said. "You've still got to touch base, whether they got spiders, scorpions or snakes on them."

The movie promotion has been in the works for more than a year and will include ad buys and ballpark events, such as giving masks to fans, said Jacqueline Parkes, baseball's senior vice president for marketing and advertising.

The ads, about 4-by-4-inches with a red background and yellow webbing, won't appear on home plate. The Yankees did agree to allow ads in the on-deck circles during their series that weekend against San Diego.

"Spider-Man 2" opens June 30, and the weekend in early June was picked because it is during interleague play, which draws higher attendance than usual.

"We need to reach out to a younger demographic to bring them to the ballpark," Parkes said. "They are looking for nontraditional breakthrough ways to convey 'Spider-Man' messaging. ... It's the future of how we generate excitement inside the stadium and about the game itself."

Baseball will receive about $3.6 million in a deal negotiated by Major League Baseball Properties with Marvel Studios and Columbia Pictures, a division of Sony Inc., a high-ranking baseball executive said on condition of anonymity.

The Yankees and Boston Red Sox (news) will get more than $100,000 each, the team executive said, also on condition of anonymity. Most of the other 13 teams playing at home that weekend will get about $50,000 apiece, the team executive said.

Parkes said the amount a team receives depends on the level of its participation. Geoffrey Ammer, president of marketing for the Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group, was not immediately available for comment, spokesman Steve Elzer said.

In a twist, Amanda Aardsma, the sister of Giants rookie pitcher David Aardsma, has a small role in the movie.

Ralph Nader (news - web sites), a presidential candidate and consumer advocate, criticized the deal. He wrote Tuesday to baseball commissioner Bud Selig, denouncing the decision to have ads on uniforms during the season-opening series in March between the Yankees and Tampa Bay Devil Rays (news) in Tokyo.

"It's gotten beyond grotesque," Nader said. "The fans have to revolt here. Otherwise, they'll be looking at advertisements between advertisements."

Gary Ruskin, executive director of Commercial Alert, called for baseball fans to boycott Sony products. Nader is the chair of the organization's advisory board.

U.S. Rep George Nethercutt, a Washington Republican who is a former part-owner of the Greensboro Bats and the Michigan Battle Cats minor league teams, sent a letter to Selig protesting the decision.

"Little Leaguers deserve to see their heroes slide into bases, not ads," wrote Nethercutt, who is running for U.S. Senate.

Todd Zeile of the New York Mets (news) didn't mind the ads.

"We're an entertainment outlet. there's going to be commercialism," he said. "At least, at this point, we don't look like NASCAR (news - web sites) drivers or World Cup soccer players. That's not to say that's not in the future."

In separate promotions, the bases also will feature pink ribbons Sunday as part of a Mother's Day promotion to raise breast-cancer awareness, and they will have blue ribbons on Father's Day, June 20, to raise prostate-cancer awareness.

John Hirschbeck, head of the World Umpires Association, said the ads won't make it harder for umpires to make calls at the bases. And it wouldn't bother him if umpires' uniforms had ads — as long as they share the profit.

"We've got it on jockeys' pants. Why not?" he said.

Vincent, brought into baseball by commissioner A. Bartlett Giamatti, wondered how his friend would have reacted. Giamatti, who died in 1989, rhapsodized about baseball is essays such as "The Green Fields of the Mind," in which he referred to second base as a "jagged rock" in the middle of the field.

"Wherever he is, Bart is spinning," Vincent said. "It's a good thing he's not around."

[Chrome]

But the New York Yankees (news), one of 15 teams at home that weekend, balked at the idea after the deal was announced. They will put ads on the bases only during batting practice, and then just for one game, team spokesman Rick Cerrone said.

Finally, a reason to like the Yankees ...

[sheldonm]

Selig and his gang are like a bunch of cheap prostitutes- they'll do anything for $. What's next, ads on the umpires' chest protectors and jackets? ARGGGGGGGGGH!

NO SHIT!

[BruceH]

It sounds just plain stupid.

[Aggie87]

What does SI called it? This week's sign that that Apocalypse is upon us?

[Brad]

I don't see the big deal frankly or having ads on uniforms. I happen to be a football (soccer to America ) fan and this has been happening for years. It earns the team money and if it helps to sign a free agent, why the hell not. It's strange to see at first but after awhile you get used to it. What's the difference between this and calling it Petco Park or Bank One Ballpark. At least they don't sell the naming rights in Europe.

[DTMX]

"And at second base, third base, shortstop and left field - Doctor Octopus!"

[PHILLYQ]

DTMX,

That was laugh out loud funny- thanks so much for the picture and commentary.

[7/4]

May 6, 2004

Baseball Nixes 'Spider-Man 2' Base Ads

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Filed at 10:04 p.m. ET

NEW YORK (AP) -- Spider-Man ads on bases didn't fly with baseball fans. A day after announcing a novel promotion to put advertisements on bases next month, Major League Baseball reversed course Thursday and eliminated that part of its marketing deal for ``Spider-Man 2.''

``It isn't worth, frankly, having a debate about,'' commissioner Bud Selig said in Oakland before the Yankees-Athletics game.

``I'm a traditionalist,'' he said. ``The problem in sports marketing, particularly in baseball, is you're always walking a very sensitive line. Nobody loves tradition and history as much as I do.''

After Selig and others heard the backlash, Spider-Man got picked off base.

``The bases were an extremely small part of this program,'' said Bob DuPuy, baseball's chief operating officer. ``However, we understand that a segment of our fans was uncomfortable with this particular component and we do not want to detract from the fan's experience in any way.''

Under the original plan, red-and-yellow ads were to appear on bases -- but not home plate -- during games from June 11-13. The plan began to crumble Wednesday night when the New York Yankees said they would only allow the ads on bases during batting practice -- and only for one game that weekend.

While the logos will not be put on bases in big league games, it's still not certain whether they will appear during warmups.

``I thought it was good to pull it,'' Yankees outfielder Bernie Williams said. ``For so many years, we've just had uniforms and bases with no logo. It doesn't surprise me, baseball being the conservative sport that it's always been. It's so slow to change.''

A baseball official said the original deal was worth $3.6 million, including merchandise, while a film industry official said it was $2.5 million.

The ads were to appear as part of a deal involving Major League Baseball Properties, Marvel Studios and Sony Inc., the parent of Columbia Pictures, which is releasing the movie on June 30. The promotion will go on with giveaways and other ads at ballparks that weekend.

``We listened to the fans,'' said Geoffrey Ammer, president of worldwide marketing for the Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group. ``We never saw this coming, the reaction the fans had. It became a flashpoint -- the reaction was overwhelming.''

``We don't want to do anything that takes away from a fan's enjoyment of the game,'' he said. ``Some people thought it was a great idea, but others saw it as sacrilegious.''

Ammer said his group approached baseball about pulling the bases promotion.

``We could easily solve it,'' he said, adding there had been no discussion about whether this would change the deal's value.

Many baseball purists denounced the plan, including Fay Vincent, a former baseball commissioner and president of Columbia Pictures. Having watched jockeys earn the right to have ads on their uniforms for the Kentucky Derby, some thought it was a step too far in the increasing commercialization of sports.''

``I think they made a good decision to change their minds,'' former commissioner Peter Ueberroth said. ``I don't think it makes any sense at all. It's a clutter.''

Teams will have the option of having ads on their on-deck circles during games, according to Jacqueline Parkes, baseball's senior vice president for marketing and advertising.

Baseball's Hall of Fame said it could find no records of ads ever appearing on bases during games.

``At the end of the day, as we said yesterday, it was the smallest element, not that important to us,'' Parkes said. ``While it was something originally they wanted, it is not worth risking or damaging the fans' experience.''

Baseball officials were surprised by the reaction, which included several front-page stories in Wednesday's newspapers.

``It just shows the strength of major league baseball and the place people put it,'' Parkes said.

Minnesota Twins outfielder Torii Hunter -- nicknamed ``Spider-Man'' for his acrobatic catches -- was disappointed by the reversal.

``It's for kids, and kids love it,'' he said. ``It would have been cool to see the Spider-Man logo for those three days. Kids could have worn their Spider-Man gear to the stadium.''

Oakland outfielder Billy McMillon liked the decision.

``I just wonder where this leads to. Will it be the Bad News Bears with Chico's Bail Bonds on the back of our uniforms?'' he said.

``I understand revenue, but I didn't think it would invade baseball. I never thought it would come to this. They're wise not to put it on our uniforms.''

[Chrome]

Oakland outfielder Billy McMillon liked the decision.

``I just wonder where this leads to. Will it be the Bad News Bears with Chico's Bail Bonds on the back of our uniforms?'' he said.

And as amazed as I was that they decided to do this in the first place, I'm even more surprised (but glad) they're backing off.

[wesbed]

It's bad enough seeing all the same advertising crap pasted all over NASCAR. However, NASCAR, from the local tracks to the big leagues, always has been nothing but a moving commercial, since it costs so much money to keep the cars running. This is true from the dirt tracks to Daytona.

But, baseball?

Edited May 7, 2004 by wesbed

[sheldonm]

``I'm a traditionalist,'' he said. ``The problem in sports marketing, particularly in baseball, is you're always walking a very sensitive line. Nobody loves tradition and history as much as I do.''

Bud's something alright, but I'm not sure sure it's a "traditionalist".

( All-Star game ending in a tie???)

Mark

[Soulstation1]

next they'll have spam on the bases

[BruceH]

"And at second base, third base, shortstop and left field - Doctor Octopus!"

Hey, isn't that Daniel Desario? Dude, even the punk haircut looked better!

[ghost of miles]

But the New York Yankees (news), one of 15 teams at home that weekend, balked at the idea after the deal was announced. They will put ads on the bases only during batting practice, and then just for one game, team spokesman Rick Cerrone said.

Finally, a reason to like the Yankees ...

Exactly! I'm quite happy that they initiated the end of this whole bad idea.