Reds pick up Casey's option for '06

[MWM]

How often do you see a Reds commercial during regular programming on one of the local networks?

[M2]

Originally Posted by iammrred

Of course, I don't see TV advertising as an effective way to spend money when you have what is probably a small marketing budget. Most people aren't going to decide to go to a game simply because of a TV commercial (unless it's in one of the "informational" ones). That's not to say it doesn't work. I remember Seattle having some really popular TV commercials a few years ago (Bret Boone, Jamie Moyer, Edgar and a bunch of players got involved), but I heard it ended up costing a fortune. For a team that was on the verge of something big, though, it was probably money well spent.

Seattle started the commercials in the early '90s when the franchise was bottom of the barrel in terms of its budget. The ad campaign was the shot across the bow in terms of getting the local market to pay attention to the product. Now Seattle's one of the highest grossing revenue teams in baseball. Seattle didn't pay a fortune, it made a fortune.

Chip, great post.

[iammrred]

Originally Posted by M2

Seattle started the commercials in the early '90s when the franchise was bottom of the barrel in terms of its budget. The ad campaign was the shot across the bow in terms of getting the local market to pay attention to the product. Now Seattle's one of the highest grossing revenue teams in baseball. Seattle didn't pay a fortune, it made a fortune.

Chip, great post.

Here are the commercials I were talking about -- they're just two years old. http://seattle.mariners.mlb.com/NASA...s&team_id=sea#

It's hard to compare the effectiveness of advertising in each market, though. Seattle has a much bigger pool of potential fans in the Seattle area (about twice the size of Cincinnati's), many of which were or are totally foreign to the Mariners. So TV ads (especially clever ones) could do a lot to pique the interest of those fans. Most people in Cincinnati already have a strong feeling one way or the other, and a TV commercial isn't likely to do much to sway opinion.

You're right, though. Seattle at least made an attempt, and it worked (116 wins didn't hurt).

Chip - nice post. The Reds definitely need to find a way to better market the players. Concepts? Adam Dunn and Austin Kearns as Bo and Luke Duke in a General Lee-esque bullpen cart. Sean Casey sitting at the mayor's desk while Charlie Luken tries to explain he's not really "the Mayor." Ryan Freel springing full steam (and running over the occassional pedestrian) through downtown to drop off his dry cleaning, to hail a cab and grab some lunch. There's definitely some fun to be had with this team.

[Chip R]

Originally Posted by iammrred

Here are the commercials I were talking about -- they're just two years old. http://seattle.mariners.mlb.com/NASA...s&team_id=sea#

It's hard to compare the effectiveness of advertising in each market, though. Seattle has a much bigger pool of potential fans in the Seattle area (about twice the size of Cincinnati's), many of which were or are totally foreign to the Mariners. So TV ads (especially clever ones) could do a lot to pique the interest of those fans. Most people in Cincinnati already have a strong feeling one way or the other, and a TV commercial isn't likely to do much to sway opinion.

You're right, though. Seattle at least made an attempt, and it worked (116 wins didn't hurt).

Chip - nice post. The Reds definitely need to find a way to better market the players. Concepts? Adam Dunn and Austin Kearns as Bo and Luke Duke in a General Lee-esque bullpen cart. Sean Casey sitting at the mayor's desk while Charlie Luken tries to explain he's not really "the Mayor." Ryan Freel springing full steam (and running over the occassional pedestrian) through downtown to drop off his dry cleaning, to hail a cab and grab some lunch. There's definitely some fun to be had with this team.

Good stuff. I especially like the Freel one. A couple of years ago, some of us on the board came up with various ideas for commercials with Reds players in them. I wish we still had those cause they were a hoot and some were very good too. Say what you will about their talent level but there are a lot of likeable players on this team.

Actually Seattle started advertising creatively back in the late 80s when Jeff Smulyan owned the team. They did a couple of commercials where they showe scenes from an old Russian silent movie - Potemkin I believe it was - but they dubbed dialouge over it. They would show them all sad when the peasant leader told them, "Let's go to the Mariners game". Then he'd talk up the new players and the spruced up Kingdome and they all marched happily off to the ballpark. They drew pretty well after that 2.1M in 91. He did have to sell out eventually but he did start somewhat of a buzz there.

I'd just like to see the Reds give the fans more reason to come out there besides the new ballpark or Jr. or bobbleheads. It's easy to sell out for Opening Day or when you're giving away a bobblehead. It's tougher to get a good crowd on a Tuesday night in mid April when it's 50 degrees out and you're playing the Brewers. That's when you earn your money if you are are in marketing.

[M2]

iammrred, seems to me the Reds are in an even better position than the Mariners were. Seattle residents were familiar with the Mariners when the team started its first major ad campaign, the club had sucked big time for more than a decade up to that point. The city had a well-formed negative opinion of the franchise.

The Reds have fans who've just sort of wandered away. Put yourself front and center in their line of sight, remind them how much fun baseball can be and you're likely to find a receptive audience. Going into satellite media markets (something the Mariners also did with gusto) is another area where the Reds would be well-served. We've got fans from West Virginia, Indiana, Kentucky and Tennessee all over this board (not to mention the fine city of Columbus). That's not by happenstance. It's the result of the team's massive reach during the BRM's heyday. What Seattle did was find fans, make its market work. It's exactly what the Reds don't do and should.

BTW, nice ideas for the commercials. And I ask, if we can come up with this stuff, why can't the Reds?

[REDREAD]

Originally Posted by M2

. We've got fans from West Virginia, Indiana, Kentucky and Tennessee all over this board (not to mention the fine city of Columbus).

Good points on the advertising/marketing. IMO, when this Fox deal expires, they should really make an effort to get some free TV deals back. That is free advertising. Actually, it's advertising the local stations pay for
Instead of trying to marginally increase the TV deal by giving Fox complete rights, the Reds should be trying to increase their audience.

IIRC, the Fox deal expired after this season, unless I missed them extending/renewing.

[CougarQuest]

I would've never guessed that the Reds picking up the option on Casey would have attracted this much posting about the economic advantages of advertising and the Mariners.

[flyer85]

From Rotoworld -

"Apparently, the Reds thought they had to do something to restore goodwill with their fans after dumping Barry Larkin. Viewed strictly as a baseball move, this is terribly stupid. Casey has had one good year out of the last three, and he's been nothing more than an average regular over the course of his career. This was a transaction made to keep season-ticket holders."

[Big Klu]

Originally Posted by Red Leader

You know, John Keras, the guy running for president. They're trying him out to see if he can play the hot corner next year until EE comes up. Then after Keras has a good year next year, they're going to trade him because they won't be able to afford him. Damn taxes on the wealthy.

I thought he meant Alex Keras, who would give the Bengals an All-Pro defensive lineman. :gac:

[MWM]

Originally Posted by flyer85

From Rotoworld -

"Apparently, the Reds thought they had to do something to restore goodwill with their fans after dumping Barry Larkin. Viewed strictly as a baseball move, this is terribly stupid. Casey has had one good year out of the last three, and he's been nothing more than an average regular over the course of his career. This was a transaction made to keep season-ticket holders."

They completely missed the point. He needs only 360 ABs next year or to make the AS team to meet his incentive that would automatically kick in the 2006 option.