Ralph Nader wants MLB to get rid of in-inning advertising like the call to the bullpen is brought to you by.
Ralph Nader is 89 years old. He is a political activist, author, lecturer, and attorney who gained fame in consumer protection awareness, along with environmentalism and government reform causes. He has also been a lifelong baseball fan who more than likely was introduced to the game by radio as were many of his contemporaries. Nader and League of Fans Sports Policy Director Ken Reed would like to see in-inning commercials eliminated during radio broadcasts of baseball games. Nader and Reed think commercials should only be aired before and after games and between innings. While it is nice to celebrate the game as it was once presented on radio, those days are not coming back. The in-innings advertisements like commercials for pitching changes with an ad are here to stay. MLB owners are always looking for revenue and in-innings spots pay bills even though some baseball fans who listen to games on the radio might prefer an old-time player telling stories to fill time.
The League of Fans group did a survey of the 30 different radio broadcasts that were aired on April 9th, 2022 and recorded 847 in-game ads, averaging 28.2 per game for each broadcast. The number of in-game ads during that day’s New York Yankees’ broadcast was 51. A similar 2012 survey of a New York Yankees’ broadcast that found 22 in-game ads. Twenty-nine more ads means more money and no team or radio rights holder is going to turn that down. The Chicago Cubs’ broadcast featured 60 spots and the Colorado Rockies’ broadcast had 53 on that April 9th, 2022 date. Nader and Reed also do not like the advertising on the field contending it damages the integrity of the game. The owners just care about making money.
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