Wise Master Buehrle Posted June 15, 2004 Share Posted June 15, 2004 Mike Imrem. Was that a Bulls game I just saw? Was that a Bulls game I just saw? Posted Monday, June 14, 2004 By Mike Imrem Call it the Bullification of the White Sox. A crowd of 32,589 went to see a baseball game Sunday afternoon and a basketball stage show broke out. Comiskey Park felt like the United Center. It seemed any minute the LuvaSox would start bumping and grinding to "Rock and Roll Part II." Jerry Reinsdorf recently transferred marketing specialist Brooks Boyer from his basketball team to his baseball team. If this Sox-Braves game was any indication, you might as well start calling them the Chicago Bull Sox. Whether recent initiatives hit the Bull's-eye remains to be seen, but for starters they were welcomed warmly. Of course, personally being me, I hate them. I hate all the activity swirling around the United Center. It's just too noisy with too many moving parts. I like to watch the sporting event I'm attending and during lulls talk to the guy in the next seat about the sporting event we're attending. Sunday's game would have been fun for White Sox fans if played in a cemetery. I mean, the first-place Sox beat Atlanta 10-3 and had enough stars drawing enough ovations to echo until the next homestand. But, just as the Bulls do, the Sox must feel - win or lose - that people show up as much for the circus as the bread. So in the great tradition of basketball, the Bull Sox now introduce players individually. Instead of running out to their positions together, they run out solo. Who said there's no "I" in "S-O-X"? This started on the last homestand. This weekend, Sox fans were treated to the NBA habit of throwing T-shirts into the stands. Now here's the topper: The Bull Sox have a mascot. Its name is Southpaw instead of Benny the Bull. Its gender is unspecified. As one club operative said, "It is what it is." Mascots certainly aren't foreign to major-league baseball. The first, if memory serves, was the San Diego Chicken. The best is the Phillie Phanatic. Others have come and gone ... including the infamous Ribbie and Roobarb at the old Comiskey Park and Augie Ojeda at Wrigley Field. Anyway, I was a friend of Ribbie's and an acquaintance of Roobarb's and let me just say, sir, that Southpaw is no Ribbie or Roobarb. At least the Sox have to hope it isn't because those creatures were pathetic. Southpaw, surrounded by kids and balloons, was introduced to the crowd just prior to the game. Fans cheered. Then players ran out one by one. Fans cheered. Then T-shirts were launched. Fans cheered. Me? I expected the last player announced to be, "From North Carolina! ... No. 23! ..." Home runs by Frank Thomas and Joe Crede reminded me of slam dunks. When Mark Buehrle retired the first seven Braves, it was like Scottie Pippen shutting down opponents. Carlos Lee's club-record-tying hitting streak was as impressive as Dennis Rodman's cursing streaks were offensive. Oh yeah, Magglio Ordonez and Kenny Williams sat together in the center-field fan deck. They looked like Michael Jordan and Jerry Krause socializing with each other in a UC suite. OK, maybe not that last one. Again, I'm uncomfortable with the ballpark busy business. Fans seemed to enjoy the NBAization of baseball, however, so it's here to stay. One request, Bull Sox: Please stop short of a bunch of fat guys called the Matadors bouncing their blubber around the court, er, field between innings. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- The comment I was really fond of was the Cubs mascot being Augie Ojeda. It's so true, the fans treated him just like a mascot! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DBAHO Posted June 15, 2004 Share Posted June 15, 2004 Its name is Southpaw instead of Benny the Bull. Its gender is unspecified. As one club operative said, "It is what it is." The poor mascot. At least the new marketing guy is trying some new things out, hopefully this will get more ppl to the ballpark. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YASNY Posted June 15, 2004 Share Posted June 15, 2004 Seems to me one of the shortfalls of the Sox PR dept. over the years has been the failure to market the players individually. Personally, I like the idea of the pregame introductions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
th0mas35 Posted June 15, 2004 Share Posted June 15, 2004 I think Brooks is doing a fine job. I like the idea of the mascot, I like the dedication who's putting into making a game a total entertainment event for the family and I liked how he let just about any kid that wanted to run the bases run them last sunday. Although I think you do have a point about the introductions. I think they should all just run out together, but hey, if the players and noone else has a problem with it, then it's fine by me. You should send him an e-mail with the problems you have though I think. I'm sure he'd be interested in hearing the views of all fans on what's happened so far. but I don't think you can deny that Gallas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jordan4life_2007 Posted June 15, 2004 Share Posted June 15, 2004 Just win baby. That's the name of the game. You win, they'll come. It's sad. because you've got your lowlife, filthy bandwagoners that will show up. But, if it helps the organazation put a better product on the field, so be it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steff Posted June 15, 2004 Share Posted June 15, 2004 Hate to say it.. but I agree. "Get ready for this" irritates the hell out of me, and to be honest any second I wouldn't be surprised to hear "whoop there it is.." :puke The player intro's I do like. The rip off of "Thunder" from the MJ&H show is a little cheesy, but it's not surprising. Southpaw... can't blame Brooks for that since it wasn't his brainchild.. but I don't care about that either way as long as he doesn't block my view. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RibbieRubarb Posted June 15, 2004 Share Posted June 15, 2004 The rip off of "Thunder" from the MJ&H show is a little cheesy, but it's not surprising. They have been playing Thunder for years now, well before MJ&H... At least since 2000. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steff Posted June 15, 2004 Share Posted June 15, 2004 They have been playing Thunder for years now, well before MJ&H... At least since 2000. At the start of the game the way they are now..? I remember clips.. but now it's a 5 minute long debacle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RibbieRubarb Posted June 15, 2004 Share Posted June 15, 2004 The would play it as they warmed up on the field before the first pitch. Right after the "White Sox Sonata". But, no, nothing like it is now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steff Posted June 15, 2004 Share Posted June 15, 2004 The would play it as they warmed up on the field before the first pitch. Right after the "White Sox Sonata". But, no, nothing like it is now. Whew.. thought I was losing it It just goes on, and on, and on now... :banghead Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cwsox Posted June 15, 2004 Share Posted June 15, 2004 Seems to me one of the shortfalls of the Sox PR dept. over the years has been the failure to market the players individually. Personally, I like the idea of the pregame introductions. the Home Run of the Century intro is done? Gone? I loved that pasionately. On the other hand, fewer and fewer people were doing it and most Sox players now weren't around for its origins. Times change. If they are doing something new, so be it. It sounds as if the fans are liking it so why not? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cwsox Posted June 15, 2004 Share Posted June 15, 2004 Hate to say it.. but I agree. "Get ready for this" irritates the hell out of me, and to be honest any second I wouldn't be surprised to hear "whoop there it is.." :puke must agree with this Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RibbieRubarb Posted June 15, 2004 Share Posted June 15, 2004 Whew.. thought I was losing it Well...that's a whole other argument... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southsider2k5 Posted June 15, 2004 Share Posted June 15, 2004 OK so out of all of the new stuff going on, how much of it is Brooks Boyers doing? I can think of the new ad campaign Southpaw New Intros Am I missing something else? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steff Posted June 15, 2004 Share Posted June 15, 2004 OK so out of all of the new stuff going on, how much of it is Brooks Boyers doing? I can think of the new ad campaign Southpaw New Intros Am I missing something else? Brooks had nothing to do with Southpaw. :banghead Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southsider2k5 Posted June 15, 2004 Share Posted June 15, 2004 Brooks had nothing to do with Southpaw. :banghead What about the other two things? Had the commericials or the new intros already been in the works? Also could Maggs and KW hanging out on the fan deck be Boyers brainchild, or was that something they did on their own? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YASNY Posted June 15, 2004 Share Posted June 15, 2004 Boyer has accomplished one thing with that We vs They commercial... He's got people talking about the Sox. Any publicity is good publicity, they say. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steff Posted June 15, 2004 Share Posted June 15, 2004 What about the other two things? Had the commericials or the new intros already been in the works? Also could Maggs and KW hanging out on the fan deck be Boyers brainchild, or was that something they did on their own? The commercial, the opening, and KW and Maggs roaming the concourse are definitely his brainchilds. Classic Bull.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IlliniKrush Posted June 15, 2004 Share Posted June 15, 2004 Boyer has accomplished one thing with that We vs They commercial... He's got people talking about the Sox. Any publicity is good publicity, they say. That's definitely false, the fans on field incidents got plenty of publicity, but i don't think that was good publicity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greasywheels121 Posted June 15, 2004 Share Posted June 15, 2004 Boyer has accomplished one thing with that We vs They commercial... He's got people talking about the Sox. Any publicity is good publicity, they say. Indeed he does....Here's from the Trib: New Sox promo puts Cubs on spot 'THEY: Believe they're cursed. WE: Agree.' —New White Sox ad campaign By Teddy Greenstein Tribune staff reporter June 14, 2004 New White Sox marketing chief Brooks Boyer can't re-sign Magglio Ordonez, anoint a fifth starter or engineer a deal for Carlos Beltran. Instead, Boyer is trying to fire up Sox fans with a provocative new television ad that highlights the differences between the Sox and their neighbors to the north. Under the theme of "Sox Pride," the ad uses "We" and "They" to initiate a civil war that Boyer sees as, well, civil. "We're not taking shots at the Cubs," Boyer said Monday. "That's clearly not our intention. We're really passionate about our team. "At the same time, this is sports, and we can have fun with some of our ads." The commercial, which will run until the Sox's June 25-27 home series against the Cubs, begins with a voiceover: "The White Sox present a comparison." With Tchaikovsky's "1812 Overture" (for those not musically inclined, think of the final scene in "Caddyshack") in the background, the ad trumpets "Them vs. Us" and goes as follows: They: Are lovable even when they lose. We: Hate losing. They: Champions in 1908. We: Champions as recently as 1917. (And who can forget 1906?). They: Believe they're cursed. We: Agree. They: Got Wood. We: Got lumber. They: Have a fan who says "Woo." We: Don't. They: Need tickets? See a broker. We: Call 866-SOX-GAME. Oh, and the mayor likes us better. Said Boyer: "We're challenging White Sox fans to take pride in their team." And trying to sell tickets. "The fact that they're sold out is great for us," Boyer said. "We're telling people: 'Come sample our ballpark. It's a completely different experience than going to Wrigley Field.'" Cubs marketing chief John McDonough said he first saw the ad on the Sox's Web site. "We're flattered to be the centerpiece of their advertising campaign," he said. "It's not necessarily the approach I would take, but the more exposure, the better." Neither McDonough nor Boyer could recall an ad in which a city's seemingly less popular team (say, the Clippers or Mets) had targeted its intracity competition. The closest comparison might have been the minor-league Wolves, who tweaked the Blackhawks last season with billboards that read: "We play hockey the old-fashioned way. We win." In 1997, the Sox's flagship radio station, WMVP-AM 1000, constructed an ad on a building outside Wrigley Field that read: "Major-league baseball, 8.1 miles south." The Sox didn't approve the ad, but apparently didn't reject it either. "That was stabbing, taking a real shot," Boyer said. "That's not what this ad is about. We are who we are. We can poke fun at ourselves. "Look, all their tickets are sold, and mine aren't. I hope to be in position one day where they have a shot at me." Since taking over for Rob Gallas in April, Boyer, a 32-year-old former Notre Dame basketball player, has brought a fresh approach to the Sox's marketing efforts. He had previously worked for the Bulls under Steve Schanwald, the marketing guru who has managed to keep United Center seats mostly full in the post-Michael Jordan gloom. Boyer is spearheading a plan in which the Sox will call every season ticket-holder by mid-August to say thanks and ask if the team can do anything to improve their experience. That would mean about 4,000 calls. The main goal of the ad campaign is to cultivate future season ticket-holders. "We're trying to make it cool to be a White Sox fan," Boyer said. Some wonder if the spot will alienate less-than-die-hard Sox fans. Boyer doesn't think so, saying the ad was light-hearted enough to point out that the South Siders won a World Series "as recently as 1917." The line that might draw the Cubs' ire is "Need tickets? See a broker." Remember the Cubs' brokerage service, Wrigley Field Premium Ticket Services Inc., which has been a source of more embarrassment than revenue for the team? Isn't that line intended to poke fun at Premium? "That's for you guys to decide," Boyer said. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greasywheels121 Posted June 15, 2004 Share Posted June 15, 2004 And the Suntimes : South Snide: Sox have fun at Cubs' expense BY CAROL SLEZAK SUN-TIMES COLUMNIST Advertisement I saw the White Sox' new commercial on TV this weekend. The commercial, which takes plenty of pokes at the Cubs and their fans, is earning standing ovations when it's played on the center-field screen at U.S. Cellular Field. No wonder. If you're a Sox fan, there's nothing better than poking fun at the Cubs. The commercial had a positive effect on me, as well. It has put me in the mood for interleague play. I can hardly wait to hear the crowd's reaction when the commercial is played at the Cell during the Cubs-Sox series June 25-27. Sorry, Cubs fans, you won't be able to drown out the moment with boos. Aside from a brief introduction, there's no talking in the commercial. (Just read the screen, folks.) The commercial presents a "comparison'' between the Cubs and the Sox. Here are a couple of excerpts: They: Are loveable even when they lose. We: Hate losing. They: Believe they're cursed. We: Agree. The commercial seems to end as the words "Sox Pride'' appear on the screen. But there's one more zinger coming: Oh ... and the mayor likes us better. Can't you just feel the love? Not since the Sox hung that billboard near Wrigley Field in 1997, the one that said, "Major League Baseball, 8.1 miles South,'' have I had such a good laugh over such silly stuff. Brooks Boyer, the head of marketing for the Sox, is the brain behind the commercial. Boyer has been on the job less than two months. I think he's off to a good start. "I just wanted to celebrate the uniqueness of being a Sox fan,'' Boyer said. "I think [the commercial] is fun and funny, and it hits Sox fans where they want to be hit. I wanted it to be aggressive and edgy and memorable. I'm not afraid to take some shots [at the Cubs]. But if we take shots, we can't be mean. It has to be tongue-in-cheek.'' The commercial is indeed good-natured, but I doubt that will stop Cubs fans from hating it. I wonder, can Cubs fans laugh at themselves? The commercial is pretty funny. And, really, it's not that mean. I can think of a few comparisons the Sox could have made, but didn't. They: Aren't in first place. We: Are. They: Use corked bats. We: Don't. They: Need a closer. We: Will give them Billy Koch. John McDonough, senior vice president of marketing and broadcasting for the Cubs, has seen the commercial. He found it amusing. Will McDonough launch his own retaliatory commercial comparing the Sox and Cubs? We: Won our division last year. They: Didn't. We: Sell out every game. They: Don't. We: Got Sammy. They: Got rid of Sammy. We: Have seen John Cusack in the stands. They: Have seen Joan Cusack in a U.S. Cellular ad. Oh ... and the governor likes us better. Hey, this is fun. I tried to get McDonough to join in, but he wanted no part of the shenanigans. "We're flattered that once again we would be the centerpiece of another Sox advertising campaign,'' he said. The ads might tweak the Cubs, but Boyer realizes the Cubs are King of Chicago's sports teams. "They're the 800-pound gorilla in this city,'' Boyer said. "But all those Cubs sellouts are good for us. If people can't get Cubs tickets, they can come watch a game at our ballpark.'' The Sox commercial will run through the Cubs-Sox series at the Cell. Then the "Sox Pride'' campaign will move on to a new phase. "There's a great buzz in town about the Sox,'' Boyer said. "It's because of the way our team is playing; it's because of [manager Ozzie Guillen].'' Boyer and other staffers wore "Sox Pride'' T-shirts at the Cell last weekend, and the Sox were inundated with phone calls from people wanting to buy the shirts. They'll be available at the Cell during the next homestand. The shirts will say, "It's about us.'' No, they won't say anything negative about the Cubs. I'm pretty sure that will disappoint a lot of Sox fans, who live to dog the Cubbies. But I could be wrong. "Our fans just want people to know, 'Hey, we're in first place; we're here, too,''' Boyer said. McDonough said he feels lucky to have "an incredible'' Cubs fan base that "has seemingly unconditional love for the franchise.'' But McDonough discovered another key to success last season. "Winning is the only foolproof [marketing plan],'' he said. "It's not coincidental that we won the division last season and had sold [approximately] 2.5 million tickets before Opening Day this year.'' Nope, nothing beats winning. But for Sox fans, tweaking the Cubs is a close second. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southsider2k5 Posted June 15, 2004 Share Posted June 15, 2004 Damn, I want that TShirt too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greasywheels121 Posted June 15, 2004 Share Posted June 15, 2004 I'm definitely going to add that one to my collection when I go to Chicago next month! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wise Master Buehrle Posted June 15, 2004 Author Share Posted June 15, 2004 I saw members of the staff walking around with the "It's about us" shirts and wondering where they came from. Reminds me of royals.com and their headline is along the lines of "Together we can", reminds of the Little Engine that Could for cripes sake! :headshake SOX PRIDE. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steff Posted June 15, 2004 Share Posted June 15, 2004 I saw members of the staff walking around with the "It's about us" shirts and wondering where they came from. Reminds me of royals.com and their headline is along the lines of "Together we can", reminds of the Little Engine that Could for cripes sake! :headshake SOX PRIDE. Where did you see the phrase "it's about us"..? All the ones I saw said "Pride" on them... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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