Baseball used to be the most loved sport in America. So much so that to this day it is referred to as “America’s pass time”. The decline of baseball’s popularity however, is very real. Baseball’s popularity started to decline in the 60’s when about 40% of Americans said it was their favorite sport. Less than 9% of sports fans say it’s their favorite sport today. It’s crazy that the marketing situation is so bad for such a fantastic game with so much history and potential. The funny thing is that revenues and attendance are up year on year. Major league baseball went from generating $1.5 billion revenue in 1997 to $7.5 billion in 2012. The numbers show that baseball is considered to be on the Mount Rushmore of American sports but public perception tells a different tale.
Let’s compare the MLB to the NBA. Why is it that the great American pass time is losing so much market share to the NBA? It seems that both the NBA and the players understand how to leverage their platform and tap into something much bigger. Marketing pop culture and the desire to be like your idols, to wear the same things, listen to the same music, soak in the culture versus merely showcasing the tedium of day to day life as a pro athlete. The NBA embraces change to the point where they start to dictate to pop culture where MLB is still very much rooted in the customs and traditions of a bygone era. The guys dig even deeper on this phenomenon and discuss how the top players and teams brand themselves on social media.
The glaring question is: does baseball (or your brand) have to be perceived as popular to make money? Is there a single recipe for success? The jury is out on that one, find out what Trevor has to say on the topic by watching this video:
If you would like to hear two industry experts further dissect this topic, head over to The Marketing Rescue Podcast
