Advertising on the whole sucks and I spend half my life trying to ignore it, and the other half hoping that some institution I really like doesn't do something as inane as this. 500K...I guess everyone has their price, and are we really that surprised that Bitch Sox Corporate's price is so cheap? I don't know. Just saying.

"Just because someone offers you a great opportunity to look like an ass doesn't mean you have to take it. "

Belly laugh of the day.

Brava, BG.

I'm just sorry that with tonight's rainout of NLCS (soon to be Disney Presents the Goodyear NLCS) Game 5, I will have to spend my evening without the Exxon/Mobil Pitcher Scouting Report, the Travellers Game Summary, and all the other corporate trinkets and baubles Fox favors us with each Octember.

Not to mention that, with the leaves turning colors and gently drifting from branch to sidewalk, it must be nearly time for the stars of delightful Fox programs like "Til Death" and "Happy Hour" and "Your Dancing and Singing Stinks Like Ass" to appear in box seats at these games, so we get to look at them while baseball is happening and listen to Timmah talk about how much he enjoys those programs.

Remember when MLB was going to put Spiderman logos on the bases?

I haven't yet decided if this is better or worse.

The spiderman logo was far worse than this. I don't see a problem with this, and actually think it's kind of cute. But I was brainwashed in economics class in college, so please don't hold it against me.

"every time you look at your ticket stub, you are reminded of that glorious company and all the wonders it brings to America."

Holy sweet baby Boofness, that's just wrong.

As an economics student, I also thought the 7-11 promotion was cute. I mean, we have the 'Treasure Island Scouting Report' and the damn duck presenting trivia questions, and the Diet Pepsi Fans of the Game, and the...I could go on. It's a fact of life, but it does blow a lot of the time. And $500,000 is a pittance: Punto and a quarter, indeed.

At least they stopped that short event of putting Spiderman pictures on teh bases. THAT was bad.

That's absolutely the most pathetic thing I think I've ever heard of in my entire life. Pssh.

Just hope the Bitches don't try and *get* Tiny Superhero. Eek!

::Knows darn well A.J. would allow Capt. Cheeseburger to eat LNP - unlike Chairman, who'd conk C. C. & A. J. for doing anything like that.::

This is further proof that reality will always trump satire in terms of absurdity.

At the beginning of this season, I wrote a satirical open letter to Bud Selig for an obscure web magazine (click my name for the link), in which I proposed various daft marketing ideas, such as re-naming sliders “White Castles” and replacing the third base coach with a Coach handbag. This is every bit as asinine as any of my suggestions, and I was _trying_ to be imbecilic.

Probably we will see corporate sponsorship such as we have here in Japan. For example, we have the Softbank Hawks and the what is commonly referred to as the Tokyo Giants is actually the Yomiuri Giants (Yomiuri being the main newspaper in Japan).

Let's see....how about the Honeywell Twins,; no that won't do. It is not catchy. It has to be catchy to be advertising. HMMM...I know, how about the Honeywell Bumblebees. The dance line can be called the Honeys. I can see it all now!

Some other options:
the 3M Double Siders
the Pioneer Press Reporters (dance line: Info Babes)
the Comquest Cable Guys (We're wired and ready!)
the Federal Cartridge Bird Hunters (BTW, "tori" means "bird" in Japanese so this name would act as a tribute to Torii Hunter and serve as the team's name. Danceline: Bombshells)

This is a bad idea because we don't think in one minutes. something starting at 11 minutes past, you'll either be feeling i'm sitting here set to go, start already, or you'll be running round like the white rabbit. And what do the TV people think? but congratulations to the 7-11 guys, who by going in and asking for something no one had ever asked for before got it SO SO SO cheap.
But the 7-11 near me has turned into a trendy coffee bar (I know gentrification) so this doesn't even give me and outlet to spend my baseball advertisting inspired dollars (well pounds but you know what I mean) so it's all a bit wasted really

D

Remember we came dangerously close a couple years back to NASCAR-like patches on player uniforms. The worst is listening to a game on the radio; they go through so many spots that they barely have time to talk about the game! As if there isn't enough time to advertise after every half-inning.

Not to mention coming back late from commercial breaks to an already in-progress game (TV and radio both do this). Seriously, what sport is more conducive to commercial breaks than baseball with stoppages in play every half-inning, and they still fill the need (greed) to squeeze another "'Til Death" promo in?

Steve Lyons actually got fired for missing the product shot. He was supposed to accuse Sweet Lou of stealing his Prada wallet.

Ah, good old US Sell-out Field. At least after today this will only be important in Chicago, while the rest of the world doesn't give a rat's ass.

timprov,

that made me laugh

D

I agree with Bob, i don't think it's a bad idea, i think it's pretty cute, actually. And really, it's not going to affect the masses all that much, because no one will say the game starts at 7:11, they'll say 7:10 or just plain 7. I think the spiderman logos were WAY worse.

I agree that logos on the bases were a much worse idea. At least this ad will only be important at one point during the game: The first pitch. After that, we don't think about the start time again. It's not like we constantly thought "oh, today's game started at 6:05" during the middle of games or after games. Quite frankly, if I hadn't read this article, the 7:11 start times would've meant nothing to me, other than a random time.

I don't really think the problem with this is the 7:11 start time part of it; it's just the idea that anything and everything can and probably will be used to make a buck. The Spider-Man thing was much worse, as it encroached on the actual field of play, but the concept is the same. We've managed to avoid that with the Twins, but just wait until the new park opens - it's going to be a free-for-all. 3M Presents Kirby Puckett Park at Target Field (pity they sold Marshall Fields - that would have been perfect) is coming, and y'all know it. But is any of this really new? Remember all those old ballparks we wax so nostalgic about? What was it that covered the outfield walls? Advertising. As the Bible says, there's nothing new under the sun.

$500K to move the start time back 1 minute? Sounds like a good deal to me. Wish the Twins had done that - they're going to need the bucks to help pay Torii's overinflated salary next year.

I couldn't agree more, BG, but isn't "corporate soul" an oxymoron?

Being a pious man in the land of the infidels (I live in Chicago), I have to say that I hardly ever see a 7-11. White Hens, however, are everywhere. Think Tom Thumb, but with chickens.

I too am I Twins fan stuck in Chicago - this is pretty lame. Note to Pilgrim - I think 7-11 just bought White Hen, so we'll be seeing a lot more of them!

Ok, so I totally understand where y'all are coming from, but since my birthday is on 7-11 I cant complain to much. 7 Eleven has done wonders for people in remembering my birthday. I bet you all will remember it now... ;)

This doesn't bother me too much although it makes strange sense that it is happening in Bitch Sox-land.

I just wish they would keep the ads off the walls. It makes some parks look like a AAA park.

7-11 start time...whatever

Going slightly off-topic...is this any more stupid than the As firing Ken Macha--who basically got them to the playoffs or close each year?? Isnt that the goal of the game??? Getting to the playoffs.

Sorry--I forgot the goal of the game is to get as many bucks as possible. My bad.

I watch a lot of English football (soccer) they have huge sponsors on their unis (Carlsburg beer for Liverpool, etc.) and big ads along the fences that you cant miss on the tube. (Reebok, etc. Ladbrokes--a betting outfit, etc.) Baseball doesnt have that!!

Yet...

DAM

Uggh

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=baker/061013

...like a Punto and a fourth? That doesn't even add up to one full size baseball player. Sprayed coffee all over my computer! Unf'ing believable, this. 7-11. Ptui. And it's godddamn Comiskey, too, not U.S.F'ingCellular. Got it?

And one more thing: I think BatDad should replace Macha as the A's Mgr.

In a related story, A.J. Pierzynski has reportedly agreed in principle to a six-figure deal with a major Chicago-area tourist attraction. As part of the agreement, the White Sox catcher will officially change his name to "Navy Pierzynski", and will become the boardwalk's goodwill ambassador. When asked to comment on the mercenary nature of the contract, Pierzynski said, "What? I signed what? No, you're wrong, buddy. I didn't sign that. I'm not out to draw attention to myself. No, sir, not me. I just wanna play ball. Oh, and, by the way, #*@% you."

well, think of MetroDome

a giant milk bottle in right feild
the giant right feild wall with a bear and a truck on it

at least our stadium isnt 3M stadium, yet

I hate 7-11's but some of my fondest memories of Twins baseball involve product placement --

The Hamm's Beer Bear with his TC hat on? Is he our current TC Bear's real father?

Old Dutch -- The Snappy Chips!

Schmidt Beer -- and the Scenic Sports Pack! Good enought for Herb Carneal -- good enough for me!

What about the Midwest Federal Tree with a Twins Hat on it at the old Met? Hit the sign and win $50,000.

Does anything beat eating Dairy Queen out of a Twins helmet?

I'm thirsty -- I need to go find some Hamm's -- The Beer Refreshing!

funoda, don't forget the Hormel Hotdog Row of Fame. Even the Batfamily were weiner winners.

Speaking of beer...can we force Bud to bring back the big beer stein that Bernie Brewer used to slide into after a home run? I'm outraged that a guy named "Bud" would allow the game's fine traditions to be discarded so cavalierly. The yellow plastic slide is fine for kids, but not for Bernie.

I was in favor of the Spiderman logos. (Although to be fair, I am pro-Spiderman.) And don't knock Punto, the White Sox would kill to have him. No Juan Uribe pun intended.

My ONLY problem with this is that the Bitch Sox don't need another $500,000. If that half-mil was adding to the potential payroll of the Twins or the Nationals, I'd be all for it. Sure, it only pays for a rookie and a half. But better to have the subsidized 1.53 rookies playing for a team I like instead of the Bitch Sox.

The wrongness here is that the extra cash goes to a big-market team that doesn't need the dough.

Maybe the Twins can start their games at 7:03M?

Pro Spiderman!?!

You obviously haven't been reading the editorials in the Daily Bugle. Spiderman is nothing but a mence...a mence I say

WOW don't know where that came from???

I obviously spent too much time watching Spiderman cartoons.

If you are going to have a Spidey logo on the bases maybe you can paint the bats green and have a Hulk Smash HR, or a rainout sponsored by Storm of the X-men?

I wish they'd keep the ads off the OF walls and I pray they stay off the jerseys

Byerly's 3-bagger?
Embers Fireman of the Year?
Leeann Chin-music?
This HBP brought to you by Target?
Or perhaps we can get the home club to sponsor themselves... introducing the Minnesota Twins' Minnesota Twins.

The ethics prof in me can hardly resist wondering what allows for the outrage among some and the acquiesence among others.

One thing I learned from listening to XM this season is that Gordo and Dazzle have to do a LOT more promos than most other radio announcers, and it is very tiring. Perhaps that will change come next year? I would hope so. It is maddening.

But also to be noted: in the old style, we continue to play in the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome. Not "the Cell".

I'd appreciate if someone could point me in the direction of where the Strib hides their (Twins) pictures now after the site change. I know they have to slideshows on the side, but they used to have the collected images somewhere.

Thanks for any help.

Here is something I think is far more ridiculous marketing than the 711 gig. fan loyalty forever:

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2630637

I've wondered how effective ads are when you like the ad, but never buy the *product*.

Couldn't I just be interred at 3H's site, instead? :/ (Two out of three.)

Personally I don't understand the extent to which some people will go to make an @ss of themselves and publicly no less. From the crazy talk shows like Jerry Springer to this crazy crap.

Still laughing at Scotharr's post: "Or perhaps we can get the home club to sponsor themselves... introducing the Minnesota Twins' Minnesota Twins." Priceless.