boomboomsroom

“If you build it, they will come!”  That is the way the actual line, “If you build it, he will come!” uttered by Kevin Costner to his character in the movie Field of Dreams is often misquoted.

But, we think “they will come” is apropos for Major League Baseball.  They’ve done a nice job turning an otherwise ho-hum mid-August evening into a spectacle. Fan attendance is sold out strong and the TV ratings, unknown at this point, will likely point to success in year two of this showcase.

It feels very baseball, hot dogs, apple pie, and Chevrolet.  America needs way more red and white feelings to go along with the blue ones.  Thanks, MLB.

But, could you do so much more with the Field of Dreams?

How?  We’re glad you asked.

Did you know that an investment group bought the field (now two fields) and the surrounding acreage for $7 mil last year?  They plan on turning some of it into a training facility for youth baseball and girls’ softball.

That’s nice, but not groundbreaking when breaking the ground for that purpose.  And, the construction will scratch any MLB games there in 2023.

Maybe MLB should offer them $14 million and take ownership of it and even more land that surrounds it?  $21 million?  Why not?

How about playing the All Star Game there once?  Twice?  All-star games in the NFL (Pro Bowl), NBA, and MLB are stale.  Take the lead.

If you keep it as is, how about dumping the Geico and all other real and virtual ads in the stadium?

Sure, money talks.  But so does the sacred non-commercial look that the original field in the movie had.  Take us back to our past, please.

Augusta National limits ads to roughly 4 minutes an hour on The Masters broadcast.   And you won’t see a billboard/ad of any type on the hallowed grounds.

How about playing seven games in seven days with fourteen different teams?  Turn it into a bucket list item.  Make it a vacation destination for baseball purists in late summer.   A hotel off in the distance owned by MLB, maybe?  Augusta has bought any and all land adjacent to its property.  Big plans will be realized soon.

Sure scarcity creates demand.  But demand also creates demand.

It’s a venue and a mindset that is unique to America’s National Pastime.   And, it’s past time that they got out in front of the other sports marketing-wise just once.

Doesn’t everyone yearn for one more game of catch with their dad?

Build it and he and they will come.