Commit to new fans
The MLB has been vocal about the importance of Gen Z and has even introduced new rules designed to make the game faster and more attractive for younger viewers. While the efforts are there, it also assumes they’re watching in the first place. It’s time to double down on the commitment to finding new fans.
The NBA brought the game to younger people through the 2K League. The NHL’s Big City Greens Classic, a fully animated broadcast of a game, ran not only on ESPN and ESPN+, but on Disney and Disney+. These leagues aren’t waiting for people to come to them; they’re being proactive about connecting with the next generation of fans.
The NFL has also increased engagement among young fans through its Nickelodeon partnership. More importantly, they’ve made significant investments in flag football, creating a new access point for young kids and females alike.
Those types of commitment are critical, as building new fans isn’t just about attracting kids. It means reaching out across genders, ethnicities and more. A good example of this is the NFL.
The NFL didn’t take a growing female fanbase for granted. They doubled down on their outreach efforts, from product evolutions like flag football and strategic cause alignments like Breast Cancer Awareness to marketing and merchandise. Today, more than half of the league’s 32 teams have female fan clubs with uniquely designed programming.
The Pittsburgh Steelers host a Women’s Training Camp, where women get to practice on the field. Now, over 60% of females say they’re avid or casual football fans. Conversely, 60% of women said they were not fans of Major League Baseball.
Pink jerseys and Pride nights no longer cut it. The MLB must identify new audiences and actively court these potential viewers with thoughtful, engaging outreach.
It’s time to swing for the fence
Admittedly, the MLB has just released a new campaign designed to modernize baseball nostalgia. The debut spots, beautifully executed by an agency that has a brilliant history of creating cultural sports moments, focus on core baseball traditions.
The work is designed to give current baseball fans all the feels and there is potential to provide even more connection points for the potential new audiences (the story of Aaron Judge requires a bit of historical knowledge about the game). Most interesting might be the idea of MLB Life and connecting dots between baseball and culture, often IRL.