The unthinkable is about to become the reality of Major League Baseball. On July 23, the 2020 regular season will open with no fans at the stadium.
No team had remotely considered this possibility until the coronavirus forced commissioner Rob Manfred to suspend the season on March 12. But now that MLB will embark on a 60-game campaign in the midst of a pandemic, the teams are looking for creative ways to engage fans without inviting them to participate. The baseball stadium.
Enter the Oakland Athletics.
If there were a prize for the most creative game plan for baseball without fans, the Athletics would be the top contenders. Along with their Bay Area rivals, the San Francisco Giants, the Athletics have announced plans to place cardboard cutouts with fan photos throughout the stadium.
The cardboard cutout is not exactly innovative. Sports leagues around the world have used them to replace fans upon their return. But the Athletics have taken a turn that is perfectly suited to baseball.
If a cardboard cutout placed in the “Dirty Ball Zone” is hit by a dirty ball, a souvenir baseball will be sent to the fan.
“Fans can submit a photo of themselves on A’s team to add to a cardboard cutout,” the ad reads. “The coliseum cuts will be authenticated and recognized by MLB as official” virtual fans “, and will be placed in seats across the stadium for the 2020 regular season. If a Dirty Ball Zone cut is hit with a foul ball, the Athletics will send a ball to the fan in the court. “
That is a fun idea.
No, it does not replace the thrill of catching a dirty ball. But it does give fans a reason to tune in and focus on each release.
The plan will include three stages of pricing. Access members of A can submit photos for $ 49. Members without access can do so for $ 89. If you want to be in the foul ball area, it will cost you $ 129. All fans who sign up will also receive a pair tickets for the first Atlético home exhibition game at the Colosseum in 2021. Therefore, tight spaces will be limited.
More importantly, all proceeds from the plan will go to local charities.
The Athletics also plan to fill the seats with cutbacks with former players and local celebrities. Who knows, maybe your image will sit alongside Rickey Henderson, Dave Stewart or even MC Hammer?
In a baseball season that promises to be unlike anything we’ve seen, this is a perfect example of thinking outside the box, respecting the circumstances. It will be more important than ever to engage and engage fans in new ways, and the Athletics are doing exactly that.
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