One thing I really like about baseball marketing is that it’s so incredibly uncool. As far as dorky promotions go, no other sport comes close. I think it’s because the franchises make special efforts to get kids involved in fandom, whereas in football, basketball and hockey, those fans aren’t as heavily catered to. Or maybe baseball players are just dorkier. At any rate, here are some of my favorite “there is no way that actually exists” moments in baseball marketing:
—The Heap & Frenchy Valentine. My friend found one of these in her doctor’s waiting room and gave it to me — I guess they mailed them out to the . . . fan club or something? If I was working the Braves’ PR department, you would get one of these for every holiday. Maybe even every Friday.
—Rent on Arthur. Because not only am I certain that my favorite ballplayers go grocery shopping together (duh!), I’m sure they also get pretty excited about sales on apples. I have to watch this clip from time to time, when I feel guilty over a loss because I got up to go to the kitchen right when we gave up a homer. The kid in the cartoon is not quite that psychotic, but it’s the same basic principal.
—The video of Adam LaRoche making a caesar salad. Not only does this exist, it is still featured on the Braves’ official website! Just scroll down the “All aXess” column and watch the “LaRoche tries his hand at cooking” video. You may also be interested in a video about LaRoche getting lost in the team hotel, entitled, of course: “LaRoche: First road trip to the Big Apple.”
I like the new features they have on the TBS Xtra broadcasts this year — baby pictures, lockers, who doesn’t like those? — but I’ll miss the complete randomness, and the potential for a video of Heap cooking cornbread showing up one night and leaving Skip speechless. Though, actually, I’m pretty sure Skip is banned from any and all Xtra broadcasts.
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