Major League Baseball is going to decorate the bases one weekend with Spiderman web logos as part of a promotion for the new Spiderman 2 movie. People are complaining that there is too much advertising. Or it is “destroying the sacred game.” Ok, the madness has to stop. There have been billboards in the outfield of stadiums since the 1800s. Wrigley Field, one of the last legends, like 100 years old was the fist field named after a corporate sponsor and nobody seems to care in Chicago about that one. (And the proves that sponsorship works, ask anyone where the Cubs play and Wrigley has free advertising based on money they spent 100 years ago, how is that for ROI.)
Other sports sell ads. Ever watch the World Cup? The Olympics? Or my beloved hockey, where the NHL allows the stadiums (with names like Pepsi Arena) to sell ads under the ice. Or what about the Baseball teams in Japan, named after corporate sponsors.
Let’s face it, we live in a world ruled by advertising and corporate sponsorship. Just deal. Critics of the game should be more concerned with all the players on Steroids.
