Park Experience Changes?

[sayitaintso]

The Cubs can have that s***.

I cringe every time I have to listen to some celebrity butcher the stretch, it makes me extremely uncomfortable.

[ChiliIrishHammock24]

He didn't say All Star game, he said ALl Star weekend, and yes, the NBA does a much better job at making events EVENTS than the MLB.

 

And baseball doesn't have a "finals" it has a "series". It's the same thing. It's not just the all-star game, it's the Home Run Derby and the celebrity and legends softball game as well. Both make it a 3-day event.

[shago]

Luvabulls anyone?

[Buehrle>Wood]

Would be great if they could get rid of God Bless America at 7th inning stretch and either put it before anthem, or replace it with one of the better songs like America, the beautiful (especially with it's loose Chicago ties).

 

But alas, that's impossible.

That's only on Sundays. Eh it's whatever to me.

[Buehrle>Wood]

Playing an AC/DC song at a baseball game to me (as a Type-A white collar) screams "Trailer Park Trash". It doesn't get my fired up for baseball. It makes me cringe.

 

The sooner they rid themselves of any AC/DC or Aerosmith playing at the park will be a fine day in White Sox history.

It's a team from the south side of Chicago.

[Thad Bosley]

I know I am outdated, but they could go back to all organ music, and I would be OK with that.

I wouldn't say you are outdated at all. There's nothing wrong with associating organ music with the classic baseball experience. For years, part of the enjoyment of a day out at Comiskey Park/U.S. Cellular included being entertained by the one and only Nancy Faust. I would take her creative stylings on the keyboard over any canned song any day of the week.

[bmags]

And baseball doesn't have a "finals" it has a "series". It's the same thing. It's not just the all-star game, it's the Home Run Derby and the celebrity and legends softball game as well. Both make it a 3-day event.

 

And one is wildly more successful. The NFL also has an all-star game and nobody seems to think it's fantastic. Just because the Peoples Choice award exists doesn't mean it's the Oscars.

[bmags]

I wouldn't say you are outdated at all. There's nothing wrong with associating organ music with the classic baseball experience. For years, part of the enjoyment of a day out at Comiskey Park/U.S. Cellular included being entertained by the one and only Nancy Faust. I would take her creative stylings on the keyboard over any canned song any day of the week.

 

Organ music can be terrible. I forgot what Bulls game I was watching, but I think New Orleans had an unbelievably annoying organ playing the whole time.

[iamshack]

He didn't say All Star game, he said ALl Star weekend, and yes, the NBA does a much better job at making events EVENTS than the MLB.

Do you think this is because of the marketing though or just the sport in general? Baseball is a relaxing, slow-paced, outdoor experience. The NBA is a bunch of athletic phenoms putting their skills on showcase at a much faster pace.

 

I think it has more to do with the popularity of the sport itself than it does the marketing around the sport.

[ewokpelts]

A basketball guy who's never been to a Sox game. Perfect. What could go wrong?

There's probably a good number of minor league BASEBALL directors of promotion who would give their right lung for this job.

 

Put me in the WTF camp.

There's a young man working alongside him that knows plenty about baseball. His father and grandfather worked at the sox too.

[ewokpelts]

Would be great if they could get rid of God Bless America at 7th inning stretch and either put it before anthem, or replace it with one of the better songs like America, the beautiful (especially with it's loose Chicago ties).

 

But alas, that's impossible.

That's the fake patriotism brought upon after the Iraq invasion.

[ewokpelts]

Yes, sigh, I know. Stuck with probably the worst patriotic song written for eternity.

God bless the usa is worse. And of course, Toby Keith's entire output

[ewokpelts]

They also got a pass on frisking people going into the park last year.

Not in 2015

[ewokpelts]

He didn't say All Star game, he said ALl Star weekend, and yes, the NBA does a much better job at making events EVENTS than the MLB.

MLB has all star WEEK.

 

 

[ChiliIrishHammock24]

And one is wildly more successful. The NFL also has an all-star game and nobody seems to think it's fantastic. Just because the Peoples Choice award exists doesn't mean it's the Oscars.

 

The dunk competition is "wildly more successful" than the HR Derby? I guess I'll have to take your word for it, as I don't know anyone who watched the dunk competition anymore.

 

From all the ratings I've found through google, the HR Derby draws the same or more viewers than the dunk contest, and the MLB All-Star game draws a DRASTICALLY higher rating than the NBA All-star game.

 

http://regressing.deadspin.com/the-mlb-had...ts-t-1606770612

 

So when you speak about one being wildly more successful, I assume you are talking about baseball's all-star week.

[SnB]

Can we please get rid of the recycled generic mid AB cheers that have been around since the park opened?

[LittleHurt05]

And one is wildly more successful. The NFL also has an all-star game and nobody seems to think it's fantastic. Just because the Peoples Choice award exists doesn't mean it's the Oscars.

 

MLB & NFL all-star games destroy the NBA game in TV ratings.

 

http://regressing.deadspin.com/the-mlb-had...ts-t-1606770612

[clyons]

Luvabulls anyone?

 

Been there, done that, with the "Soxettes" in the '70's. Pictures are hard to find, but a quick google search came up with this:

 

http://wgntv.com/2013/09/06/chicagos-very-...istine-zigmont/

[shakes]

And you are the exact fan and demographic they are trying to change.

 

The MLB's median fan age continues to rise and baseball seems to be doing very little to fix the trend.

 

I'm not saying this guy is going to be a savior, but "keeping with tradition" is a more of a death knell than anything else. Something needs to change.

 

Couldn't agree more. The Sox are struggling bringing in casual fans. I would imagine this will cater to kids and families. When I go to a game with my nieces and nephews what they talk about is the fireworks, Southpaw, dancing between innings, and t-shirt cannons. The NBA is awesome at that stuff and more is needed at the the park. Baseball is a very deliberate sport and it can be hard to keep casual fans attention, in this day and age, when they are use to constant stimulation from multiple sources.

 

I won't miss AC/DC and the cheesy introductions. I go to watch the games, but I'm not who they need to attract to the park. They need more younger fans and more casual fans.

[Dick Allen]

They already shoot t-shirts into the stands. I don't think things will be all that much different than they are now except for maybe some new tunes. They have kids racing down the lines. Southpaw gets some time. I go to games to see what happens during the innings, but some find what goes on in between the difference between attending and staying home. I can't imagine it being irrating enough to keep me away from coming, although the t-shirt tosses get to be ridiculous. People knocking people down for a cheap Chevy t-shirt.

[bmags]

They already shoot t-shirts into the stands. I don't think things will be all that much different than they are now except for maybe some new tunes. They have kids racing down the lines. Southpaw gets some time. I go to games to see what happens during the innings, but some find what goes on in between the difference between attending and staying home. I can't imagine it being irrating enough to keep me away from coming, although the t-shirt tosses get to be ridiculous. People knocking people down for a cheap Chevy t-shirt.

 

One thing, compare how the Bulls utilize Benny vs whatever the sox do with Southpaw. The # of skits and routines Benny does are huge hits. Southpaw dances and interviews, but he's mostly a photo op and useless.

 

Do I care? No. I've already said the only thing I want is God Bless America gone. Maybe put a golden ticket between one seat in each section that gives you access to a decked out, clean bathroom where everything is made out of gold.

[Dick Allen]

One thing, compare how the Bulls utilize Benny vs whatever the sox do with Southpaw. The # of skits and routines Benny does are huge hits. Southpaw dances and interviews, but he's mostly a photo op and useless.

 

Do I care? No. I've already said the only thing I want is God Bless America gone. Maybe put a golden ticket between one seat in each section that gives you access to a decked out, clean bathroom where everything is made out of gold.

 

The Bulls, before MJ, used to have Superfan. He was this really heavy guy that would do a lap around the lower bowl every time Tommy Edwards would say "Where are you Superfan". It was amazing he never had a coronary. Eventually, he lost a ton of weight, and I think the novelty wore off.

[bmags]

The dunk competition is "wildly more successful" than the HR Derby? I guess I'll have to take your word for it, as I don't know anyone who watched the dunk competition anymore.

 

From all the ratings I've found through google, the HR Derby draws the same or more viewers than the dunk contest, and the MLB All-Star game draws a DRASTICALLY higher rating than the NBA All-star game.

 

http://regressing.deadspin.com/the-mlb-had...ts-t-1606770612

 

So when you speak about one being wildly more successful, I assume you are talking about baseball's all-star week.

 

No, in fact I'm talking about the NBA all star weekend, which has been a huge marketing success and is why baseball has an all star week. The NBA didn't invent the all star game, and the Pro Bowls advantage has nothing to do with marketing and everything to do with football. They couldn't have done more stupid things to make it less relevant, just as baseball's stupid "make it count" is not a marketing success.

 

I can name NBA all star weekend activities right now without looking: Game, Dunk contest, 3 point contest, skills competition, rookie/soph game, in addition to the much better job the NBA does at using that weekend to promote their stars and have them interact with media/fans.

 

That's the marketing angle. That's what they do way better than the MLB. Baseball has done a horrendous job of creating star power in an era of lesser home runs. If you did a poll of most famous athletes, where would Mike Trout land?

[Chisoxfn]

I'm sorry, but this guy sound like an idiot. Really, you haven't been to a Sox game yet you are proposing massive changes. How about you start by seeing what the games are about, etc, and than move from there. Usually that would be a first point vs. making holistic changes without ever going to a darn game and understanding what fans do / don't want.

 

While I will complain about his brashness or arrogance in the interview, I will state that anything the club can do to make it self and the sport more marketable to the non baseball fan or the more casual baseball fan (and in reality, the younger fan) the better. I love baseball and want to know that the sport remains strong and to do so, they need to find a way to better interact with the younger fans.

 

PS: I think the idea of bringing in a twist and doing what you can to make the experience better is great, I just think there is a massive amount of arrogance in how this guy has presented things. And coming from a background where I have and continue to drive a lot of changes, I know all too well what happens when you jump to conclusions without knowing the facts (which is what this guy seems to be doing). And while I complain about this guy, we all know Brooks and others have data and will educate him and also have final approval.

[Chisoxfn]

I haven't been to an NBA game in years... but I personally want LESS of the goofy crap between innings and before the game, other than the standard anthem, announcements, first pitches and opening video.

Let's be honest, the experience isn't going to be tilted to the season ticket holder and hard core baseball fan (they are going to watch regardless), it is going to be focused on improving the experience for the casual to non existent baseball fan and be much more focused on the "entertainment" value away from the game of baseball.