Tuesday’s Titillations: Breaking Taboos, Lincecum Mania Continues, More
3rd March 2009
There comes a point where I have given into the movement forward by pro sports owners toward squeezing every red cent they can out of whatever means they have available. It has gone from the entertaining (Bill Veeck) to all the seriousness of the Wall St. collapse.
I wrote about this in 2006, but I revisit the matter today: uniform advertisement in Major League Baseball is very near to happening, and the World Baseball Classic gives you the platform to ease into it. Why are we on the cusp? Here’s why:
The reason is, of course, the gloomy economy.
When times are tough, you can always count on reevaluating old taboos. As the need for the almighty dollar makes owners and league executives redefine what is pure and what is not, aspects like uniform advertisement, or revisit the sacrilegious idea of ads on the sides of bases, become more likely.
There are examples of some prior taboos being broken in sports today.
This is nothing new. Anyone that’s watched European League soccer will have seen it. Or, for baseball fans, watching the Caribbean World Series recently on MLB Network could see it. It’s just a matter of time, folks.
Speaking of the World Baseball Classic, we it as one of our “Focus On” series today on the Business of Sports Network.
Not only does he dance with the stars, and is one of open-wheel racing’s premier drivers, Helio Castroneves likes to dance with the IRS.
Benjamin Hill and Alan Schwartz tear apart the “salacious memoir” of Matt McCarthy’s “Odd Man Out”.
Sadly, the Munich massacre in ‘72 isn’t the last time terrorism and sports intermingle as gunmen in Pakistan killed 8 Sri Lankan Cricket players.
He’s turning into one of my favorite writers. Shawn Hoffman of Squawking Baseball has a fantastic interview with John Coppolella, the Director of Baseball Administration for the Atlanta Braves.
Rich Lederer of Baseball Analysts looks at 2006-2008 to see which teams in MLB have spent the most efficiently.
Here’s the updated World Baseball Classic rosters.
Business of Sports Network staffer Jordan Kobritz opines about Andy Oliver of Oklahoma State University and the problems with the NCAA player agent rules.
Stan Kasten is currently sitting in the GM chair after Jim Bowden resigned, but Mike Rizzo and Tony LaCava have the best shot at landing the Nationals’ GM opening.
For those who can’t get enough Tim Lincecum, Major League Baseball 2K9 hits stores today.
There’s player movement in the NBA.
Sweet Lou is P.O.d at ESPN’s Steve Phillips.
Rob Neyer weighs in on the Manny debate.
MLS to Portland and a new Triple-A baseball stadium faces an advisory committee vote.
Fire Jim Bowden breaks down Trader Jim’s ten best moves as a GM.
And finally, as someone commented on The Biz of Baseball, Fat mascots > skinny mascots.
Maury Brown is the Founder and President of the Business of Sports Network, which includes The Biz of Baseball, The Biz of Football, The Biz of Basketball and The Biz of Hockey. He is contributor to Baseball Prospectus, and is available as a freelance writer. Brown’s full bio is here. He looks forward to your comments via email and can be contacted through the Business of Sports Network.