This week will likely be a big one in Major League Baseball, its events potentially determining whether or not there's a 2020 season.
As the league and the MLB Players Association hope to find common ground on a deal before early June _ the loose deadline for an early July start _ the next big event on which to focus is expected to occur Tuesday.
According to The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal and Evan Drellich, that's when the league is expected to present the MLBPA with a new financial proposal, one that moves off the previous 50/50 revenue split but still asks the players union for additional concessions.
The players balked at the original proposal because they felt it too closely resembled a salary cap and have been adamant about earning prorated salaries for the number of games played. What happens next should determine whether the two sides can ultimately come together.
One thing we do know at this point, however, is that a little extra money and creativity could help get this thing done, providing a buffer for both sides. That's why the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette was nice enough to think about five avenues to deliver extra revenue.
Be sure to thank us later.
1. Charge for an all-access livestream.
It's hardly unique to baseball, but fans are always clamoring for more access. And unlike contact sports such as football or hockey, baseball might be in the best position to provide it. The all-access broadcasts ESPN did during the spring were captivating, allowing fans to understand more about the sport and players to showcase their personalities.
Want to hear what a starting pitcher is thinking about on the day he's not starting? There you go. Want to know what Josh Bell is trying to adjust in his next at-bat or real-time reasoning from manager Derek Shelton on why he made a certain move? Perhaps some shots of players getting ready or other behind-the-scenes access.
Sell the basic broadcast at one price. All of the additional stuff _ call it MLB Plus or something like that _ could be purchased at an additional cost.
Think about it: U.S. television markets averaged 78,000 viewers in 2019, according to Forbes (via Nielsen). What if 30,000 fans in each market agreed to pay an additional $40 per season for the all-access pass?
That would create $36 million in extra revenue. It's also likely a conservative estimate when it comes to audience and price point.
2. If you watch other pro sports leagues, especially those in Europe or Asia, advertising on uniforms is hardly unique.
Forget trying to make this a permanent thing, but when you're trying to make up for losses incurred by not having any fans in the stands, we as consumers should be OK with things looking a little different.
This will be somewhat tricky because you're not going to want the pitcher wearing anything too garish, especially not on his throwing arm. But when you think about some soccer deals _ Real Madrid with Emirates for $80 million per year, Manchester United with Chevrolet for $68 million _ it's hard to not at least consider it.
What if MLB clubs averaged just $10 million? That's $300 million right off the bat. And again, that could be a crazy low estimate, especially for teams like the Yankees, Dodgers and Red Sox.
3. Similarly, think about baseball outfields.
There are signs, sure, but nothing even close to say, a hockey rink, where advertisements wrap around the boards. Think a tapped out Roger Dorn in "Major League II.'
Again, is it the most visually pleasing thing? No. Could it give some ballparks a minor league look? Potentially, although baseball's screwed-up economic system already does plenty of that.
The point is that it's one year, the same as uniforms. Be OK with the signage and get it sold. It's too much of a money-making opportunity not to do it.
4. This might feel a little strange, but hear me out: virtual attendance.
The idea actually struck me while watching a Jason Isbell and Amanda Shires concert the other night, when they were showing peoples' faces on large TV screens as if they were actually there.
Nobody would pay money just to have their face shown on a random seat, one you couldn't see. And baseball on TV is a much different presentation than a concert.
But if you can figure out a way to give fans some sort of exposure, it would be interesting to see how many would be willing to pay $10 per game to be shown during the broadcast.
A thousand per team per game still nets $24.6 million, with the potential for that number to spike in the bigger and more fervent markets.
5. Sell the interviews.
This could have a tie-in to the livestream idea pitched above, but find a way to incentivize interviews for players.
MLBPA executive director Tony Clark spoke at the MLB All-Star Game last summer about baseball players not faring as well as their counterparts in basketball or football when it came to endorsement deals.
Well, here you go: With the right product placement, MLB players could literally step into live commercials, simply by showing some of their personality and perhaps pitching a product.
The reality here is there are probably many more ideas, created by people way smarter than someone in this seat. But if baseball is going to figure this thing out, it can be helped along by both sides having an open mind and trying to use a unique time to explore additional money-making opportunities.
