Chico's Bail Bonds meets the Red Sox

[EStreetJoe]

The Red Sox will have advertising on their uniforms for the opening series in Japan. Unbelievable... what's next, the Yankees selling naming rights to the new stadium?

http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/articles/2008/01/23/sox_uniforms_to_sport_emc_logo_during_japan_games/

When the Boston Red Sox take the field in Tokyo in late March for their first two games of the season, they'll be wearing the corporate logo of EMC Corp., the giant data storage firm in Hopkinton. It's the first time Red Sox players have ever worn a corporate brand on their uniforms, other than those of sporting goods companies. The logo is intended to highlight EMC's new role as an official sponsor of Major League Baseball Japan, and an expanded business relationship with the Red Sox. An official of Major League Baseball said there are no plans to permit the practice in the United States.

 

[mike311gd]

Ugh.

 

[poindexter]

The Yankees did the same thing a couple years ago when they played Tampa Bay in Japan. Ricoh, patches, IIRC.

 

[andyouare?]

Where's that Chicago columnist making fun of Best Buy Chicago Fire now?

It's all about the dollar -- or yen.

 

[hockeybeat]

Welcome to the future of sports marketing.

 

[mike311gd]

And of course the Japanese are going to pony up the dough for this advertisement. I mean, that TV you watch, that sushi you eat, I mean, even that kimono you wear. Where to you think all that money goes, hmm?

 

[budcrew08]

Welcome to the future of sports marketing.

I don't think it's even just the future, at least not in the other countries. Haven't Japanese baseball teams and most of the world's soccer teams done this for a while already? It's just a big deal here in the US because we've never really seen it on a wide-scale level.

 

[Pastor]

The Yankees did the same thing a couple years ago when they played Tampa Bay in Japan. Ricoh, patches, IIRC.

Exactly. Ricoh was locate on the sides of the helmet and on the uniforms.

 

[hockeybeat]

Welcome to the future of sports marketing.

I don't think it's even just the future, at least not in the other countries. Haven't Japanese baseball teams and most of the world's soccer teams done this for a while already? It's just a big deal here in the US because we've never really seen it on a wide-scale level.

Well, it's prevalent in NASCAR and MLS. And it's going to keep growing. Already, teams sell naming rights to stadiums. What's the next logical step? Sell ad space on jerseys and the teams. Soon enough, we'll hear, "Welcome to Bank Of America Field At Yankee Stadium, where the McDonald's New York Yankees host the Wendy's Boston Red Sox."

 

[budcrew08]

Welcome to the future of sports marketing.

I don't think it's even just the future, at least not in the other countries. Haven't Japanese baseball teams and most of the world's soccer teams done this for a while already? It's just a big deal here in the US because we've never really seen it on a wide-scale level.

Well, it's prevalent in NASCAR and MLS. And it's going to keep growing. Already, teams sell naming rights to stadiums. What's the next logical step? Sell ad space on jerseys and the teams. Soon enough, we'll hear, "Welcome to Bank Of America Field At Yankee Stadium, where the McDonald's New York Yankees host the Wendy's Boston Red Sox."

I don't think it will get that far. Didn't some companies want to advertise on the bases a couple of years ago, and Selig and the rest of those jabronis refused? You definitely have naming rights for stadiums, but that is actually a good thing, because it saves taxpayers some money in the upkeep of said stadium.

 

[hockeybeat]

Welcome to the future of sports marketing.

I don't think it's even just the future, at least not in the other countries. Haven't Japanese baseball teams and most of the world's soccer teams done this for a while already? It's just a big deal here in the US because we've never really seen it on a wide-scale level.

Well, it's prevalent in NASCAR and MLS. And it's going to keep growing. Already, teams sell naming rights to stadiums. What's the next logical step? Sell ad space on jerseys and the teams. Soon enough, we'll hear, "Welcome to Bank Of America Field At Yankee Stadium, where the McDonald's New York Yankees host the Wendy's Boston Red Sox."

I don't think it will get that far. Didn't some companies want to advertise on the bases a couple of years ago, and Selig and the rest of those jabronis refused? You definitely have naming rights for stadiums, but that is actually a good thing, because it saves taxpayers some money in the upkeep of said stadium.

I believe that Selig and Co. worked out a deal with Columbia Pictures to advertise one of the Spider-Man movies on the bases at Yankee Stadium during a Fox broadcast.

 

[Armchair_QB]

Welcome to the future of sports marketing.

I don't think it's even just the future, at least not in the other countries. Haven't Japanese baseball teams and most of the world's soccer teams done this for a while already? It's just a big deal here in the US because we've never really seen it on a wide-scale level.

Well, it's prevalent in NASCAR and MLS. And it's going to keep growing. Already, teams sell naming rights to stadiums. What's the next logical step? Sell ad space on jerseys and the teams. Soon enough, we'll hear, "Welcome to Bank Of America Field At Yankee Stadium, where the McDonald's New York Yankees host the Wendy's Boston Red Sox."

I don't think it will get that far. Didn't some companies want to advertise on the bases a couple of years ago, and Selig and the rest of those jabronis refused? You definitely have naming rights for stadiums, but that is actually a good thing, because it saves taxpayers some money in the upkeep of said stadium.

MLB didn't refuse. They greenlighted it but then scrapped it after the ensuing PR ****storm.

And yeah, it had something to do with one of the Spiderman movies.

 

[Batman]

Welcome to the future of sports marketing.

I don't think it's even just the future, at least not in the other countries. Haven't Japanese baseball teams and most of the world's soccer teams done this for a while already? It's just a big deal here in the US because we've never really seen it on a wide-scale level.

Well, it's prevalent in NASCAR and MLS. And it's going to keep growing. Already, teams sell naming rights to stadiums. What's the next logical step? Sell ad space on jerseys and the teams. Soon enough, we'll hear, "Welcome to Bank Of America Field At Yankee Stadium, where the McDonald's New York Yankees host the Wendy's Boston Red Sox."

I don't think it will get that far. Didn't some companies want to advertise on the bases a couple of years ago, and Selig and the rest of those jabronis refused? You definitely have naming rights for stadiums, but that is actually a good thing, because it saves taxpayers some money in the upkeep of said stadium.

Japanese baseball teams have been named for businesses for years. I think the Orix team was an example, and IIRC so were the Yomiuri Giants (Sadaharu Oh's team). The Giants, I think, were named for a department store.

It was an ad for "Spider-Man 2" on the bases. And Selig didn't put the kibosh on it until the public voiced its displeasure.
Say what you want about George Steinbrenner, but the guy did get one thing right — keeping the appearance of the Yankees traditional. He didn't change the uniform every few years or sell naming rights to the stadium. It helps that the Yankees are their own billion-dollar brand, sure, but at least he didn't sell out in that regard.
One thing I've never gotten, though, is how the same people who complain about things like the Under Armour ad on Wrigley's walls usually have no problem with wall-to-wall billboards in minor league parks. On the lower levels, where there's ads for local dentists or banks, it's quaint. On the national level, where there's ads for clothing lines or airlines, it's selling out? Makes no sense to me.

 

[KP]

Welcome to the future of sports marketing.

I don't think it's even just the future, at least not in the other countries. Haven't Japanese baseball teams and most of the world's soccer teams done this for a while already? It's just a big deal here in the US because we've never really seen it on a wide-scale level.

Well, it's prevalent in NASCAR and MLS. And it's going to keep growing. Already, teams sell naming rights to stadiums. What's the next logical step? Sell ad space on jerseys and the teams. Soon enough, we'll hear, "Welcome to Bank Of America Field At Yankee Stadium, where the McDonald's New York Yankees host the Wendy's Boston Red Sox."

I don't think it will get that far. Didn't some companies want to advertise on the bases a couple of years ago, and Selig and the rest of those jabronis refused? You definitely have naming rights for stadiums, but that is actually a good thing, because it saves taxpayers some money in the upkeep of said stadium.

Japanese baseball teams have been named for businesses for years. I think the Orix team was an example, and IIRC so were the Yomiuri Giants (Sadaharu Oh's team). The Giants, I think, were named for a department store.

It was an ad for "Spider-Man 2" on the bases. And Selig didn't put the kibosh on it until the public voiced its displeasure.
Say what you want about George Steinbrenner, but the guy did get one thing right — keeping the appearance of the Yankees traditional. He didn't change the uniform every few years or sell naming rights to the stadium. It helps that the Yankees are their own billion-dollar brand, sure, but at least he didn't sell out in that regard.
One thing I've never gotten, though, is how the same people who complain about things like the Under Armour ad on Wrigley's walls usually have no problem with wall-to-wall billboards in minor league parks. On the lower levels, where there's ads for local dentists or banks, it's quaint. On the national level, where there's ads for clothing lines or airlines, it's selling out? Makes no sense to me.

The ads have always been on the outfield walls at minor league stadiums. It's a growing trend in MLB.

 

[TheSportsPredictor]

Agrees ...

 

[KP]

Someone posted it on a different thread, but any European hockey game would look good in this thread.

 

[Armchair_QB]

The ads have always been on the outfield walls at minor league stadiums. It's a growing trend in MLB.

It's not new in Major League Baseball either.

 

[Oz]

Welcome to the future of sports marketing.

NASCAR and Bobby Knight being far ahead of the curve.

 

[KP]

Yea, I know the older stadiums had it on the walls, but it then disappeared and now it's back.
The Memorial, County, and stadia of that era never had signing on the walls.

 

[goalmouth]

You guys haven't watched much European hockey lately: