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MLB The Show: How the players’ league can succeed in reaching audiences

By Mitchell Vareldzis

PARIS, FRANCE - OCTOBER 30: A gamer uses a Playstation PS4 controller as he plays a video game during the 'Paris Games Week' on October 30, 2019 in Paris, France. 'Paris Games Week' is an international trade fair for video games that runs from October 29 to November 03, 2019. (Photo by Chesnot/Getty Images)
PARIS, FRANCE - OCTOBER 30: A gamer uses a Playstation PS4 controller as he plays a video game during the 'Paris Games Week' on October 30, 2019 in Paris, France. 'Paris Games Week' is an international trade fair for video games that runs from October 29 to November 03, 2019. (Photo by Chesnot/Getty Images) /
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MLB is introducing the first-ever ‘MLB The Show’ league featuring one player-rep from all 30 clubs. How can the MLB turn this into a successful venture?

In these times of uncertainty, many individuals are turning to the comfort of video games to keep them busy, namely “MLB The Show.”

The popularity of Animal Crossing: New Horizons is at an all-time high and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare” reinvigorates the franchise combining the new graphics and presentation with the classic gameplay from the original games.

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The other group of video games that are finding plenty of active participants is sports games; specifically “NBA 2K20” and the recently released “MLB The Show 20.”

For those that are unaware of the video game franchise, The Show is one of the officially licensed MLB games playable by gamers. It features several different competitive or casual modes such as Road to the Show and Diamond Dynasty.

MLB, like the NBA, has taken the marketability of their video game to their advantage and first started with the players’ tournament; a four-player bracket where the individuals would compete with fantasy teams in five-inning games. Reds pitcher Amir Garrett was the winner of that tournament.

Now, this tournament has expanded into a 30-player ‘MLB The Show’ league; featuring one player from each of the 30 MLB clubs. To find info on the schedule and standings you can find that here.

Initial reaction? As someone who loves baseball and loves this video game, I am excited! This will additionally be a great way to allow fans to get an inside look into the lives of their team’s representative.

MLB has been needing to present players as human beings and to a more widespread audience. The casual fan doesn’t know much about what 2018 AL Cy Young winner Blake Snell does in his free time but I’m certain they have had tacos through LeBron’s Instagram on Tuesdays.

This can create relatability from fan to player. You like video games too? What games do you play? What is it like playing the game as… well… yourself?

The players will be able to be a full-out personality in these games. You hear stories about the characteristics of our favorite players but rarely do you get to see it when you’re at a game sitting in the nosebleeds because that is all you could afford.

Now, you have a front-row seat to the action!

While I am excited and curious to see where this goes, this isn’t without its missteps, unfortunately.

First and foremost, this league is starting today. Yes, today April 10th.

Why are we the audience only made aware of this event the day that it is starting?

I imagine setting up something as intricate as this takes some time and some phone calls and sow you would imagine that the news about this should have leaked sooner?

Take the NBA, for example, the 2K player’s tournament was announced towards the end of March with the event currently taking place but having started just last week. That gave plenty of time for fans to be aware of it and find out the best ways to watch it.

NBA also was able to not only have their event streamed on social channels but also get a deal with ESPN for them to broadcast the event.

While the MLB being able to present this league for free is great, they needed to capitalize on bringing in a larger audience; the TV audience.

Having it presented on your own network is one thing but to get a national network to carry it just like you do with the all-star game and playoff games would have helped to push the publicity of this event. But it all goes back to the fact that we found out about this today.

While I look forward to watching the players compete, I worry about how much of an audience this will reach if you’re only seemingly targeting the younger generation.

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I don’t doubt that this will be successful, but it could have done more to reach a bigger demographic and your more loyal to baseball demographic.

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