MLB MARKETING (2012-2015)

The MLB Fan Cave created video content with the goal of highlighting the personalities of MLB players while targeting a younger fan base.

To help ensure that took place, I was involved in the concept review, coordination, brand management, approval and distribution of more than 450 pieces of video content disseminated via multiple outlets including the MLB Fan Cave social media assets with 2.84M highly engaged followers. I also attended 8 video shoots outside of New York as the point Marketing team member.

 

Pop-Culture References

Chase Utley Responds to It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia Letter

Player Insights

Dueling Harry Carays

Pranks

Buck Showalter Pranks Orioles Pitcher Darren O'Day

Heartwarming Interactions

Robinson Cano Surprises Fan

Physical Stunts

Blue Jays at the Driving Range

As a content generating platform, one of the methods we employed to generate exposure for our video content was sharing produced pieces and b-roll packages with over 40 national and local broadcast partners. As the main point of contact for all of these networks, I was responsible for distributing over 450 pieces of video content with talk points for commentators to utilize on-air.

 

CONTENT DISTRIBUTION

FOX and TBS:

The MLB Fan Cave was provided weekly drop-ins through larger MLB partnerships with FOX and TBS. It was my responsibility to coordinate content selection, video creation in line with network specifications, talk point generation, proper delivery of content and follow up to track the exposure gained.

FOX: 

Dumb and Dumber with Derek Holland and Justin Grimm

TBS:

Miggy Being Miggy with Miguel Cabrera

 

All Other Networks

For all other networks, I reached out to dedicated contacts in the hopes if encouraging them to feature content on-air although no agreements were in place. Given the quality of the content produced, most networks were happy to integrate the pieces into network programming totaling over 34 hours of airtime across my three years with MLB.

CNN:

Royals As Royal Baby Food Testers

Fox Sports San Diego:

Padres Bullpen as Anchormen

ON-SITE FILMING

Off The Bat

Partnering with MTV2, the MLB Fan Cave became the home of Off The Bat, a 30-episode weekly show highlighting the personalities of MLB players off the field with show hosts Sway, Chris DiStefano, Melanie Iglesias and Fat Joe.

I worked with MTV2's production team, along with our design group, to help ensure everything was prepared for a studio show production on day one of taping. Each week I would support production needs as they arose. In addition, I attended road shoots in Miami and Baltimore for segment tapings.

To assist gaining exposure outside of just MTV2, I also reached out each week to my broadcast contacts, as well as all MLB Clubs with video segments and promotional assets for Clubs to utilize on social media.

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Live Shows

The space also hosted several live shows including ESPN's Baseball Tonight and Mike and Mike in the Morning as well as MLB Network's Intentional Talk. I was part of the team coordinating technical and show design elements to ensure successfully executed programs.

Responsible for the oversight of digital and physical activations for all MLB Fan Cave sponsors accounting for:

 

2014 Integration

1M+ Video Views

450K+ Social Media Interactions

828 Social Media Posts

70K+ Blog Views

31 Blog Posts

15 Events Held

 

Digital Activation

Distribution of Sponsored Video Content

T-Mobile's Game Changer initiative was by far its most significant throughout 2014. To support, the MLB Fan Cave posted a series of T-Mobile branded videos highlighting some of the best game changing moments in baseball history. In addition, the MLB Fan Cave Dwellers voted for their Game Changer of the Day each day as part of a larger voting initiative undertaken by MLB and T-Mobile.

By coordinating with decision makers in my department, our Sponsorship department, the Cave Dwellers and our social media team I was able to assist coordinating postings of sponsor driven video content as well as fulfillment of Cave Dweller related sponsor expectations.

Video Content Integration

On multiple instances brands have been integrated into video content either subtlety or through significant measures. The below video was a result of a collaboration with Gatorade and Nationals All-Star Bryce Harper to promote the new Gatorade Fierce line of flavors.

I coordinated with Gatorade, their agency and our Sponsorship department to prepare everything for the video shoot and was on-site during the filming to assist throughout.

 

Physical Activation

Aquafina Drink Up Media Event

The MLB Fan Cave hosted a diverse range of sponsor driven events that I assisted on from start to finish.

One of those sponsor specific events was a media gathering for Aquafina and their Drink Up campaign focused on encouraging healthier habits and increased water consumption. We worked with their special events team and PR agency to coordinate everything they would need for the day filled with interviews and photo opps with brand ambassadors Chrissy Teigen and Curtis Granderson.

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Concerts

Steve Aoki

The MLBFanCave.com Concert Series presented by Budweiser was a great physical and digital platform for the brand's integration with baseball. I assisted with a wide array of duties from securing permits and lighting directors to overseeing security and fan engagement elements.

Our concert series featured free performances by top-tier musical acts for up to 250 guests per show. Grammy Award nominated DJ Steve Aoki was just one of 42 artists to perform in my time working in the MLB Fan Cave.

To help ensure the given concert lived on beyond the one-day event, as well as entice these high profile artists to perform for free, concert footage and interviews were posted to MLBFanCave.com and promoted on our social media assets.

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Responsible for the oversight of MLB Fan Cave digital and physical activations for all MLB licensees accounting for:


2014 Integration

4.7M+ Video Views

1.1M+ Social Media Interactions

319 Social Media Posts

300K+ Blog Views

35 Blog Posts

9 Events Held

12+ Hours of Airtime

 

Digital Activation

Product Giveaways

Giving away MLB licensed product was an extremely successful mechanism for fan engagement on social media. I assisted coordinating these giveaways by working with our Licensing department to identify brands willing to donate product, gathering necessary approvals and communicating with our social media team to execute the giveaways.

Video Content Integration

 One of my large responsibilities was ensuring only MLB licensees and sponsors were included in video content and competing sponsors in a given category were not. We did our best to provide exposure for our licensees when the opportunity presented itself.

In one video, we needed a guitar as a prop so we utilized a Club branded Fender guitar as they were a licensee that provided us product to utilize throughout the season.

Compelling Stories Involving Licensees

At times, interesting stories arose regarding certain licensee initiatives and products. I worked with our Licensing department to acquire necessary digital assets to promote the story, gained approval internally and from our digital team at MLB Advanced Media and worked with our social media team to execute the social and digital posts.

One example involved a newly released Bo Jackson themed Nike sneaker. We generated a blog post discussing the product and promoted the blog and story through the MLB Fan Cave social media channels.

 

Physical Activation

Fields of Fashion Event

Licensees utilized the space to host a range of events. For licensee events, I was the main point of contact and worked closely with our Licensing department to help ensure each event's successful execution.

One of those licensee focused events was a fashion show and after party for MLB's Fields of Fashion initiative, which highlights the array of female driven MLB licensed product. MLB players' wives were featured in the show hosted by MLB Network on-air personality Sam Ryan.

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The MLB Fan Cave was utilized to host over 100 events throughout my time at the space. Working with the special events team, I was involved in every step from ideation to execution for the large majority of events. Aside from sponsor and licensee driven events highlighted in their respective sections, we hosted a range of events with a variety of purposes.

 

Men's Journal Pop-Up Shop

MLB and Men's Journal partnered on a two-week long integration held at the MLB Fan Cave. The integration featured a pop-up shop, launch party and satellite media tour to generate exposure for the partnership and products. A co-worker and I took lead on every aspect of this project which took a considerable amount of coordination between MLB, Men's Journal and their agency.

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PitCCh In Holiday Party

Several of the activations we hosted at the MLB Fan Cave were conceived with the intent of benefiting the community in some way. Yankees Pitcher CC Sabathia and his wife hosted an annual holiday party for children in a local Boys and Girls Club through their PitCCh In Foundation.

The group received a night of fun and activities throughout the space while getting to interact with the Cy-Young Award winning pitcher and his family. To show their gratitude each year, the group performed a song and dance for the Sabathias.

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TBS Postseason Media Event

To help launch their MLB Postseason marketing campaign, TBS held an event featuring their on-air talent. The broadcasters made themselves available to the media and spoke about the compelling storylines leading into the Postseason.

I worked with the TBS team and our PR group to ensure their digital assets played properly during the event and that all event logistics were coordinated properly.

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