http://www.mlb.com/r/article?ymd=2013050...b&c_id=mlb

Why wouldn't the Astros contribute?

(05-02-2013 06:53 PM)grol Wrote:  http://www.mlb.com/r/article?ymd=2013050...b&c_id=mlb

Why wouldn't the Astros contribute?

From what I can tell, the Astros have ceded the entire state of Texas outside the 713, 281 and 832 area codes to the Rangers in terms of marketing, media, community outreach, etc. Whether this shift is borne of decision or of neglect, I don't know; but it is noticeable.

Oddly worded line in the article..
"For those in the Texas area, physical donations also may be dropped off at any branch location in West, Hewitt and China Spring."

I'm sure the folks in El Paso will be swinging right on by.

(05-02-2013 07:35 PM)georgewebb Wrote:  

(05-02-2013 06:53 PM)grol Wrote:  http://www.mlb.com/r/article?ymd=2013050...b&c_id=mlb

Why wouldn't the Astros contribute?

From what I can tell, the Astros have ceded the entire state of Texas outside the 713, 281 and 832 area codes to the Rangers in terms of marketing, media, community outreach, etc. Whether this shift is borne of decision or of neglect, I don't know; but it is noticeable.

It has been that way for decades. I thought when they put farm clubs at Round Rock and Corpus Christi they would try to reverse it, but apparently not.

I think that's one critical marketing mistake they have made. Another is that 20 years ago, I'd have made it a priority to get on every satellite dish in Latin America. Those markets are not as large or as lucrative as the US. But baseball wise, Houston is pretty much squeezed into one geographic corner of the US, and Latin America is a possible alternative.

And I think it was a marketing mistake for MLB to pull its National League footprint entirely out of Texas.

Mexico City is bound to be a big market with maybe about 20 million people in the viewing area. Baseball is the number 2 sport there after soccer. When I was there in 1985, the Saturday afternoon MLB game was on television. Excelsior had much better MLB coverage than the International Herald Tribunenewspaper but I had to get used to Spanish baseball jargon. Clark Griffin and I took in two Mexican league games and he recognized one of his former Twins players just by his batting stance. We visited with Vega after the game.

There are other Latin American markets which are probably important such as Panama, the Dominican Republic, Venzuaela and others.

quote='Owl 69/70/75' pid='9291038' dateline='1367542898']

(05-02-2013 07:35 PM)georgewebb Wrote:  

(05-02-2013 06:53 PM)grol Wrote:  http://www.mlb.com/r/article?ymd=2013050...b&c_id=mlb

Why wouldn't the Astros contribute?

From what I can tell, the Astros have ceded the entire state of Texas outside the 713, 281 and 832 area codes to the Rangers in terms of marketing, media, community outreach, etc. Whether this shift is borne of decision or of neglect, I don't know; but it is noticeable.

It has been that way for decades. I thought when they put farm clubs at Round Rock and Corpus Christi they would try to reverse it, but apparently not.

I think that's one critical marketing mistake they have made. Another is that 20 years ago, I'd have made it a priority to get on every satellite dish in Latin America. Those markets are not as large or as lucrative as the US. But baseball wise, Houston is pretty much squeezed into one geographic corner of the US, and Latin America is a possible alternative.

And I think it was a marketing mistake for MLB to pull its National League footprint entirely out of Texas.
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