MLB advertising on umpire's uniforms has taken...a very dark turn

[SeeingEyeDog]

https://www.closecallsports.com/2021/07/umpires-removed-tribute-patch-as-ftx.html

Brother @GilImber, covered this in the Close Call Sports section here on U-E...and I wanted to link this here again in Free For All. At the All-Star Game last week, the umpiring crew's uniforms had an FTX patch which was a paid advertisement to MLB (no word on MLBUA's cut or the crew's cut).

Now, it seems the FTX sponsorship on MLB umpire's uniforms is here to stay. And not only is it here to stay...the addition of the FTX patch is coming at the removal of tribute patches for Derryl Cousins and Paul Schreiber. I encourage all of you reading this to please click the above link, read the report and view Gil's short video at the bottom of the page. This is completely unacceptable.

~Dawg

 

[flyingron]

The word is now that the FTX logos will remain on both places for the rest of the year.

[SJA]

IMO Ad companies in sports are nothing more than pimps and whores, but that pays a lot for the ridiculous owner and players salaries. It's all about the $$$$$$$$$$$$$. 😞 

[The Man in Blue]

Hey guys, I have a deep, dark secret that I need to let you in on.  I know you may have heard rumblings about this in the past, and probably some wild conspiracy theories.  Please, please, PLEASE do not share this outside this room ...

 

 

... Major League Baseball is a for-profit business.

 

 

 

And ... 

 

 

[Velho]

Beyond the apparel logos* there shouldn't be anything commercial associated with game officials.

Yes, I know that's not going to happen per TMIB above.

* I'd rather not but that's a line I can get my head around. I dislike logos to the point I strip everything off my cars (within reason). The model level markings are all gone for example.

[SeeingEyeDog]

MLB...they seldom miss an opportunity...to miss an opportunity.

~Dawg

[scrounge]

11 hours ago, SJA said:

IMO Ad companies in sports are nothing more than pimps and whores, but that pays a lot for the ridiculous owner and players salaries. It's all about the $$$$$$$$$$$$$. 😞 

Well, of course it's about the money, it's professional baseball. As in it's their profession, their livelihood, their business. Is any of that a surprise?

And also, it isn't even anything new on umpires. Seen any logo on MLB umpire CP's or masks lately other than Wilson? No? Why is that? Could it be....Wilson's money?

[BCBrad]

If they are going to take an impartial third party who administers the rules of the game and pimp out their uniforms like a cheap sandwich board, at least they can do is use the new revenue to:

• Give those fellas in black a 10% raise
• or give the profits to charity like Ump Cares. 

I know it won’t happen. When did the ghost of Charlie Finley become Commissioner of Baseball? No shame to cheapen the game of baseball for a buck. Just wait folks for the return of the orange baseballs.

 

[Replacematt]

1 hour ago, BCBrad said:

If they are going to take an impartial third party who administers the rules of the game and pimp out their uniforms like a cheap sandwich board, at least they can do is use the new revenue to:

• Give those fellas in black a 10% raise
• or give the profits to charity like Ump Cares. 

I know it won’t happen. When did the ghost of Charlie Finley become Commissioner of Baseball? No shame to cheapen the game of baseball for a buck. Just wait folks for the return of the orange baseballs.

 

How is it cheapened?

More precisely, is there even a reason to care? JFC. It's a business...nothing more, nothing less. 

[flyingron]

The posting of ads on uniforms (players and officials) is probably inevitable.   The removal of the memorial patch however is sort of reprehensible.    I'll have to tell you that the camera time (which is carefully measured by advertising consultants in this sort of thing) isn't probably much more with the shoulder.   90% of the umpire exposure is the plate umpire, head on.

I had to look up what FTX was anyhow.   I'm not sure how effective that is for advertising anyhow.

[eddieq]

15 minutes ago, flyingron said:

The posting of ads on uniforms (players and officials) is probably inevitable.   The removal of the memorial patch however is sort of reprehensible.    I'll have to tell you that the camera time (which is carefully measured by advertising consultants in this sort of thing) isn't probably much more with the shoulder.   90% of the umpire exposure is the plate umpire, head on.

I had to look up what FTX was anyhow.   I'm not sure how effective that is for advertising anyhow.

I also had to look it up.  FTX means "Field Training eXercise" to me.  

[The Man in Blue]

11 hours ago, BCBrad said:

If they are going to take an impartial third party who administers the rules of the game and pimp out their uniforms like a cheap sandwich board, at least they can do is use the new revenue to:

• Give those fellas in black a 10% raise
• or give the profits to charity like Ump Cares. 

I know it won’t happen. When did the ghost of Charlie Finley become Commissioner of Baseball? No shame to cheapen the game of baseball for a buck. Just wait folks for the return of the orange baseballs.

 

Orange?  That’s a thing of the past!  (Unless Home Depot wants to buy the rights to the balls.)  

It should be, like, red, white, and blue becaus it’s more ‘Murcan!  Especially in the 18-34 males with two vowels in their names who were born on a Tuesday demographic.
 

[Replacematt]

3 hours ago, flyingron said:

The posting of ads on uniforms (players and officials) is probably inevitable.   The removal of the memorial patch however is sort of reprehensible.    I'll have to tell you that the camera time (which is carefully measured by advertising consultants in this sort of thing) isn't probably much more with the shoulder.   90% of the umpire exposure is the plate umpire, head on.

I had to look up what FTX was anyhow.   I'm not sure how effective that is for advertising anyhow.

You looked up what FTX was. Now you have exposure to it that you didn't before.

[Richvee]

3 hours ago, flyingron said:

 The removal of the memorial patch however is sort of reprehensible. 

This. 

[HokieUmp]

23 hours ago, The Man in Blue said:

Hey guys, I have a deep, dark secret that I need to let you in on.  I know you may have heard rumblings about this in the past, and probably some wild conspiracy theories.  Please, please, PLEASE do not share this outside this room ...

 

 

... Major League Baseball is a for-profit business.

 

WHAT??!?!?

That is something up with which we shall not put!

[The Man in Blue]

26 minutes ago, HokieUmp said:

WHAT??!?!?

That is something up with which we shall not put!

 

If you wish to object, there is a $25 objection fee*, made payable directly to the commissioner's office.

 

 

*This fee is the Official Objection Fee of Major League Baseball, brought to you by Gary's Gowns & Gavels.  Gary's Gowns & Gavels is the official Major League Baseball Partner for all your legal adjudication attire and equipment.  Visit any one of the 16 conveniently located Gary's Gowns & Gavel metropolitan locations, located near every major courthouse in the Tri-County area!  (Parking will not be validated.)

[HokieUmp]

5 minutes ago, The Man in Blue said:

 

If you wish to object, there is a $25 objection fee*, made payable directly to the commissioner's office.

 

 

*This fee is the Official Objection Fee of Major League Baseball, brought to you by Gary's Gowns & Gavels.  Gary's Gowns & Gavels is the official Major League Baseball Partner for all your legal adjudication attire and equipment.  Visit any one of the 16 conveniently located Gary's Gowns & Gavel metropolitan locations, located near every major courthouse in the Tri-County area!  (Parking will not be validated.)

I'm not gonna lie ..... Gary's makes the best gavel in the biz.  They've got the right heft, and produce the best sounds of any in the game.

[flyingron]

3 hours ago, Matt said:

You looked up what FTX was. Now you have exposure to it that you didn't before.

Yes, but it isn't a positive one.

[The Man in Blue]

4 hours ago, Matt said:

You looked up what FTX was. Now you have exposure to it that you didn't before.

 

42 minutes ago, flyingron said:

Yes, but it isn't a positive one.

So ... @flyingron has been exposed to FTX?  Do we need to be concerned?  Do I need to put my computer's mask back on?  Just how contagious is FTX?  (Apparently all MLB umpires now have it.)

[flyingron]

2 hours ago, The Man in Blue said:

 

So ... @flyingron has been exposed to FTX?  Do we need to be concerned?  Do I need to put my computer's mask back on?  Just how contagious is FTX?  (Apparently all MLB umpires now have it.)

I've been vaccinated against FTX, DPT, and Herpes Zoster.

 

[SeeingEyeDog]

3 hours ago, The Man in Blue said:

 

So ... @flyingron has been exposed to FTX?  Do we need to be concerned?  Do I need to put my computer's mask back on?  Just how contagious is FTX?  (Apparently all MLB umpires now have it.)

No need for concern...he clearly said it wasn't a positive exposure.

~Dawg

[LRZ]

IMO, some things should not be for sale. YMMV.

[The Man in Blue]

Technically they are just leasing the space.  😁