Baseball is Made for Women

MARKETING TO THE MRS.

For years, we’ve all been hearing Major League Baseball (MLB) talking about how to increase popularity, ticket-sales and the number of people who can generally stand to watch America’s favorite past-time.  They’ve had talks of shortening the games to attract a younger, more fast-paced audience. They have created gimmicks like bobble-heads, fireworks night and jersey night to entice the kiddos, fair-weather fans and collectors. Yet, there has always been one massive audience that baseball has systematically left out of the its quest to expand viewership: WOMEN.

If you think about it, baseball is the perfect sport for a female audience.  Much like our daytime talk shows, soap operas and entertainment news, baseball happens on a daily basis and is easy to follow.  Due to the length of the season and the inherent slow pace of the game, we get to know players on a more personal level, not just their face, but all of the random stats and facts the commentators can come up with to fill three to four hours of television time.

And everyone knows why bars have Ladies’ Nights, because men go where women are getting cheap drinks!

Women like to engage with who they watch on television.  I’ve always found it difficult to connect with football for this exact reason, and suspect it’s why female football fans are knowledgeable about quarterbacks more than any other position.  There are just so many players on the field, all of their faces covered up, and they’re moving around so fast!  The sport has always been the least appealing to me for this exact reason – I don’t know who most of you guys are!

Basketball has fewer players, and we can see their faces, but we only get personal information about players during free throws, and usually it is not particularly interesting. Basketball’s fast pace also makes it more difficult to follow. Not because women don’t understand it, but because it can be difficult for us to sit and watch the entire game.  Unfortunately, the good basketball games start around dinner time, And, in my experience, after dinner time-bath time-homework and night-nights, I’m lucky to have watched a cumulative hour of a game!

Baseball…baseball is different.  Baseball personally introduces me to each player. As they make at-bats throughout the game, we get to know a little more about them. We’re told the position they play, how they’ve been hitting this month, how they like their hot dogs, maybe even what their cat’s name is.  A couple swings of the bat and we move on to the next…it’s kind of like a Mr. America pageant, or an episode of The Bachelorette! The pace and tone of the game appeals to women as well, because, let’s face it, you’re not going to miss much in a baseball game, and if you DO miss something, rest assured they’re going to replay it 15 times throughout the remainder of the game.

I’ve always found the tone of the game particularly relaxing as well.  I enjoy a fast-paced, chaotic basketball match as much as the next girl, but there’s something about the calmness, the friendliness and all-around wholesomeness of a baseball game that truly puts me in a place of zen.  Not to mention that baseball is easy on the eyes, you don’t have to follow guys back and forth, up and down a court. A sunny day at the baseball park is a beautiful sight to see…as are most of the players!  The game is low stress (unless you’ve got money on the Over) and can be as good as therapy on any given day.  It also helps that you can watch it every day, during daytime hours. I’ve never been into soap operas, but I’ve always been into baseball. I think it’s kind of one in the same for me. Baseball is my version of reality television.

Bobble-head collectors and fireworks fans continue to trickle into stadiums across America, and MLB owners are still left scratching their heads as to why they’re not selling out the stands.  Instead of trying to change the game of baseball (if it ain’t broke…), they should redirect their focus to an untapped resource… WOMEN!  I’m no marketing guru, but Ladies’ Night seems to be popular throughout the nation, why not start there?  And everyone knows why bars have Ladies’ Nights, because men go where women are getting cheap drinks!  Two birds, one stone, full stadium. Just a thought.

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