“One Man’s Opinion” by Gordon Curvey

Here is something that is a fact. Major League Baseball is stuck in 1948. Last time I checked it is 2018. The marketing of MLB is one word…TERRIBLE. The question is why is this going on?

Why is MLB not reaching young inner city African American youth? Why is it by age 12 young African American kids turn to hoops and football? Do you disagree with me? Well go to any major city and attend a high school baseball game. You will basically see all white teams. As a result, college baseball teams are basically all white teams. This is very true.

If you have a minute grab your remote and turn on a college baseball playoff game and count the amount of black faces you see on college teams. Hell their are no black faces in the stadium! No black faces in sight!

Something is very very wrong in my strong opinion. One of the reasons why young inner city kids turn to football and hoops is because who they see on TV selling McDonald’s or Burger King  or Wendy’s food, or sneakers, or cars, or soft drinks and more.

They see Curry, Kevin Durant, James Harden, Anthony Davis, Russell Westbrook, Charles Barkley, Shaq, Payton Manning, Brett Farve, Aaron Rodgers, Odell Beckham Jr, Cam Newton, our own Russell Wilson, Paul George, Chris Paul, Klay Thompson, JJ Watt, Drew Brees, Kyrie Irving (who has a movie coming out), Tony Gonzales, MJ, Damian Lillard and even Serena, Danica Patrick, Dale Jr, Rickie Fowler and more.

When it comes to MLB, I just see former player Frank Thomas, Bo Jackson (who played two sports), Johnny Bench and that’s basically it.  THIS IS FLAT OUT SHOCKING SPORTS FANS!! Why is this happening?

I am shocked the amount of fans who turn out to watch MLB games. Because the marketing of the game SUCKS!! The games are filled with white fans watching a sport that is a “white sport” in America. Former Seattle Mariner Adam Jones said just that. He is telling the truth folks. It just is. Question is who is marketable in MLB? Truth be told, I cannot name a marketable MLB player.

Is it because MLB players have zero personality? I say YES! Listen to a interview with a MLB player. It is extremely boring. They talk like a family member just died or their dog ran away. BORING!! No marketable MLB players.

Most young inner city African American youth cannot name more than two or three MLB players (if that) BUT can tell you KD’s show size, Curry’s scoring average and how many rebounds Anthony Davis averaged in the 2017-2018 season.

The kids can tell you also when the NFL and NBA draft is and who got drafted by what team. Do you think African American kids can tell about the MLB draft and when it is and who got drafted? THE ANSWER IS HELL NO!!

MLB is boring. Their needs to be a 20 sec pitch count and batters need to stop messing with their batting gloves after every damn pitch!! EVEN WHEN THEY DO NOT SWING!! The game is filled with players who wear their pants legs pulled up to their knees like back in the old days of baseball. Young inner city kids ain’t with that. Ain’t feeling that!! It ain’t “cool”.

The World Fame 100 list is out for sports and their is ZERO MLB player on the 100 list. Let me repeat ZERO! There is a reason for that ladies and gentlemen and that is the TERRIBLE marketing of MLB. How the sport has not grabbed the “hip-hop generation” like the NBA and NFL has. Just look at a commercial for the NBA or NFL and look at a “corny” MLB commercial with a white dad and their kid with a glove at a game.

Finally with the help of the Mariners I have for years been allowed to attend batting practice to conduct short interviews with players. I go their to interview the few African American players that are in MLB. I have not been busy on this end folks. Most teams that come to Safeco to play have zero African American players for me to interview. This is very very sad. More stories coming up soon about the lack of marketing of MLB.

Comments: gcurvey@yahoo.com