Just some top of the heads on topics media and others have been asking me about.
First, could MLB and Sony Pictures have been any more brilliant with their Spiderman promotion? Both absolutely knew when they announced that they were putting a Spiderman 2 logo on the bases that it would create a firestorm of commentary from the media. Every single sports talk station and just about every newspaper sports section would talk and write about it. Over and over and over again. Sony accomplished exactly what it wanted to for the movie. Get everyone talking about it.
MLB accomplished exactly what it wanted. It got paid, according to reports in the paper (who knows how true it is), $3.6mm dollars.
Whether or not the ads actually appeared on the bases was irrelevant. In fact, I never thought they would ever appear on the bases. What was the point? If they put the ads on the bases, they would lose the opportunity to go through all this again. If they pull the ads, citing fan rebellion, they create the opportunity to play this game at least 1 more time.
Brilliant. Congrats again to MLB and Sony. Why didn’t I think of putting the Spiderman ads on the corner of the backboards in the playoffs…
…everything else is commercialized. I’m surprised it took someone this long to figure out that you can put ads on bases.
I hope the movie bombs. That way MLB will learn a lesson.
I’m against this type of advertising. Why can’t some things just be left alone. What’s next, someone who signs a 20 year contract with MLB so they can have their ads on bases exclusively? Oh…like…BUDWEISER? That’s all we need, teach our kids it’s ok to booze it up.
And Mr. Cuban, you never answered my email…what happened to the secretary? I’m dying to know!!! 🙂
Comment by Darrell -
I don’t want to get too deep (over my head) into what I’m about to say because I’m still pissed over the renaming of THE BALLPARK AT ARLINGTON. I, as a resident of Arlington and other shoppers, paid for that stadium and it’s ours and Tom Hicks needs to butt out. I realize it’s “business”, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it. The Spiderman thing was just another way the plaster MLB stadiums with commericalism. Fortunately, it was toned down.
Back to the topic at hand. I love the way Mark looks at this Spiderman promotion. Leave it in the media and keep it out of the ballparks (as much as possible).
Now, I’m off to find a message board where I can bitch about the renaming of THE BALLPARK AT ARLINGTON and Jerry Jones’ new little playground.
Comment by leah -
Mr Cuban, Please buy my Milwaukee Brewers. You’e our only hope.
Comment by tom -
Who comes up with these ideas? I find the idea kind of annoying but i’m not sure why.
Maggie…they do show adds all around the arena and jumbotron and stuff.
Comment by Jacie -
I never thought they would actually be put on the bases either. Baseball traditionalists would never let that happen. Even so, Spider-Man racked up a lot of hype just because of the story. It’s a win-win situation.
I agree with CM that ads on the backboard aren’t a good idea because it could screw up the players. I’ve never been to an NBA game, living in Atlantic Canada and all, but do they show ads on the huge monitor at the top of the stadium? They wouldn’t get airtime, but hey, 20000 people in the stadium will see it.
That all being said, you don’t really have a lot of options that wouldn’t infuriate a lot of basketball fans.
Comment by Maggie -
Why not just super-impose advertising all over the stadium? This way not to interfere with game play (a logo on a backboard would probably screw with shot line-ups) .. same system they use for the 1st down marker on football fields. Invisible to players, blatently obvious to viewers.
If movie theatres can put 2 minute long commercials in front of movies and RAISE the price of movies – why not whore out everything for some $$
Comment by cm -
hi mark! what are your plans for the summer?? i enjoy checking your blog every day. hope your doing well.
cali
Comment by cali -
I really dont believe we need every inch of the stadiums filled with advertising. The tops of the bases wouldnt be visible anyway. They should keep to the ads on the walls and thats it. Maybe if players werent making $12 million a year they wouldnt need to try and bring in additional money.
Comment by Jason -
It is a good idea. However the first spiderman did very well and looking at the trailer for the sequel it looks like it will be MUCH better than the first film. I don’t really see the need for advertising the film in such a manner. It’s already going to be a hit no matter what. Feel free to put loveholstery.com ads on the backboards and help my small film get some exposure. I can’t pay you though unless it’s deferred! 🙂
Also I was hoping you would comment on Godsend and the critical panning of the film. How do you feel the movie turned out? I definitely plan on seeing the film. Despite what the critics say about a specific film I’ll see it anyway if it’s caught my interest and any film with Robert is worth my time.
If you feel the film failed let us know why and what you will do differently next time.
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The backboard was first placed behind the net to deter fans from interfering with a players shot (or toss, as it was first called). It later became used as a strategic device BY THE PLAYERS for bank-shots. But, it was never added to the official rules of the game.
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The DVD for the movie called “THE BASKET” starring Karen Allen and Peter Coyote contains special dvd features about the history and rules of basketball. It reprints James Naismith’s original typewritten rules which for the most-part are followed today.
Not convinced yet? Notice when a ball hits the top of the backboard, the official calls the ball ‘out of bounds’ and therefore dead.
Comment by runescape money -
Bases
You know what’s going to happen. The sportscasters are going to think the bases are just so cool, so they’ll talk about the bases and get the cameramen to zoom in on them.
I agree. If salaries weren’t outrageous, they ucould generate a little more income by lowering ticket prices and concession prices, and a few other things. Ads on bases? In my opinion, it’s just dumb.
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I can’t be bothered with anything recently. Not much on my mind these days, but maybe tomorrow. My mind is like a fog. I just don’t have much to say right now. Oh well. I’ve just been letting everything happen without me these days.
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Comment by calling cards -
“Why didn’t I think of putting the Spiderman ads on the corner of the backboards in the playoffs…”
Some comments said that this would ruin the shot. Mark would do the Sony-MLB trick and just raise controversy & media coverage for the advertisers, then they’d “cancel the deal” and Mark is happy and the advertisers are happy… and nothing on the backboard (never intended to do that)
Comment by Sherwin Noorian -
Well, Mark, if you had thought of it, the NBA likely would have jumped at the chance and done it, thus making the ad or the issue unnoticed. The NBA is so desparate to remain relevant and increase viewership they would have sold their soul to do this. Unfortunately, like I said, in the end it would have gone unnoticed “What? Spiderman on the NBA backboards? That season is still going? You mean the playoffs are STILL going on? Sheesh!”
Comment by Dave -
Put the ads on the dancers behinds. I mean who really looks at ads on backboards? Of course this marketing move probably will backfire by ignoring the female fans, but are females really into brainwashed sexist advertising like males?
Comment by monkeyinabox -
To think that prices for tickets and concessions would be lowered simply if player salaries were lowered is foolhardy. Most prices are set to what the market will bear, so if people are willing to pay $x for a ticket to a game it does not matter if the payroll is $25 or $50 million, people will pay $x to buy that ticket.
The same could be said for concessions. If people dramatically bought less at a high price (so that profits were lowered), the prices of concessions should go down, if not, there is no reason (well, taking into account public relations should occur as well) to lower them.
Do all sports owners follow this and are they all great/good businessmen? No, so some prices could be too high or low so that they are not maximizing profits. The Anaheim Angels owner Arte Moreno lowered prices on concessions and souvenirs and made a few million more than the year before. Its sounds like the previous owner, Disney, did not correctly project the demand and how it would change profitability on those things.
Many owners want to maximize profits. While maximizing profits and winning games at the same time makes doing that a bit more complicated, its still mostly true.
Lastly, most owners would not turn down revenues that their customers are willing to pay just because their expenses (lower player salaries) are less.
Comment by Brian -
I don’t see why you can’t use the backboard for whatever marketing plan you have in mind.
The backboard was first placed behind the net to deter fans from interfering with a players shot (or toss, as it was first called). It later became used as a strategic device BY THE PLAYERS for bank-shots. But, it was never added to the official rules of the game.
The net was first mounted under base of an upper runway or indoor track. Home town fans would be perched on the upper track and reach down to swat-away a toss of an opposing player on the gym floor.
The backboard was created to be just large enough so that a man could not reach around it a interfere with a ball being positioned in the area of the rim.
The DVD for the movie called “THE BASKET” starring Karen Allen and Peter Coyote contains special dvd features about the history and rules of basketball. It reprints James Naismith’s original typewritten rules which for the most-part are followed today.
Not convinced yet? Notice when a ball hits the top of the backboard, the official calls the ball ‘out of bounds’ and therefore dead. If the backboard was part of the game or part of the “court,” the ball could not be called out simply by hitting the top of the backboard.
Or, how about this. A player throws the ball against the backboard, catches it, and shoots. He’s charged with a walking infraction because the backboard is not officially part of the playing surface, or the court, as is the floor.
Good luck.
I see no rule preventing you from using the backboard for whatever clever revenue enhancing plan you have in mind.
Comment by matt kohn -
Brilliant?..actually, imho, another foray of the Madison Avenue marketing engine to put their icon/logo/trademark/slogan into “your face”=the goal of any advert exec/agency to penetrate and extend into any demographic pool available. And, for the right “price” of course, would be accepted by MLB, just another corporate entity seeking to turn profits and squeeze revenue from any unforeseen opportunity. Hey, what about adverts on parking berms, or say, painted onto parking lot surfaces, or why not just place a flat panel broadbanded to ESPN at bus stops for a flat per minute fee with a swipe of the plastic money. The possibilities are endless and this is America so why not?
Comment by Joe K. -
The second most watched sport on television besides football…Some might think its a joke that every other word out of the drivers mouth is a sponsor, but the bang for the buck in Nascar is incredible. Forget the names on tv, you have the replica cars that people buy, the merchandise. The name of the company is everywhere. Its genius.
Even if baseball never intended to use the bases, the word of mouth on this thing was incredible. And figure into the fact that the fans actually (although I doubt it) had a say in what the eventual solution was. Imagine if the NBA listened directly to the fans? Well…besides the Mavericks of course.
Comment by Dan -
I don’t see what’s so brilliant about alienating and pissing off your fans to hype a movie. With declining attendance and competition from other venues I would think that would be the last step to take. I think if Selig had held a press conference, stated that they had been offered a significant amount of money to place ads on the bases, and turned it down because it wasn’t worth sacrificing the values of the game for a short term payoff, he would have accomplished a great deal more than what has happened. I also think logo’s on the backboard would have backfired.
Comment by Chuck -
You know what’s going to happen. The sportscasters are going to think the bases are just so cool, so they’ll talk about the bases and get the cameramen to zoom in on them.
I agree. If salaries weren’t outrageous, they ucould generate a little more income by lowering ticket prices and concession prices, and a few other things. Ads on bases? In my opinion, it’s just dumb.
Comment by Darrell -