Major League Baseball and Globalization: The World Baseball Classic

Mark, Nagel and Matt, Brown and Daniel, Rascher and Chad, McEvoy (2010): Major League Baseball and Globalization: The World Baseball Classic. Published in: Sport and Public Policy (2010)

Abstract

In addition to generating initial profits, the WBC has positioned MLB to be the leader in growing the game of baseball and the commercial aspects of the sport throughout the world. As baseball grows, and more importantly as the American brand of baseball grows, it will be interesting to watch the worldwide reaction – particularly if MLB begins to generate huge profits overseas. Other prominent American brands such as Coke, Nike, Disney, and McDonalds have been both embraced and scorned as they have ventured beyond the fifty U.S. states. MLB will have unique challenges, but also tremendous opportunities as they attempt to expand their potential marketplace from 330 million consumers to the entire world. Ultimately, the long-term impact of the initial World Baseball Classic will not be known for many years, but it appears that the initial tournament met, and in some cases, exceeded expectations.

• Item Type: MPRA Paper
• Language: English
• Keywords: World Baseball Classic; WBC; globalization
• Subjects: F - International Economics > F5 - International Relations, National Security, and International Political Economy > F59 - Other; L - Industrial Organization > L8 - Industry Studies: Services > L83 - Sports ; Gambling ; Restaurants ; Recreation ; Tourism

References

Baseball in Latin America. (n. d.). Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved July 29, 2007 from http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-229950/baseball

Bernstein, A. (2006, March 13). Competition pumps up MLB rights in Europe. SportsBusiness Journal, 5.

Biertempfel, R. (2007, July 15). Pirates keen to idea of taking games overseas. Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Retrieved July 22, 2007 from http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/s_517378.html

Bloom, B. M. (2006, March 21). With Classic over, MLB looks ahead. Retrieved April 29, 2006 from http://www.worldbaseballclassic.com/2006/news/article.jsp?ymd=20060321&content_id=1358067&vkey=wbc_news&fext=.jsp&sid=wbc

Blum, R. (2005, December 16). Cuban decision gets discussion flowing. USA Today. Retrieved July 29, 2007 from http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/2005-12-16-cuban-decision-reax_x.htm

Brown, M. (2005, December 5). MBLAM: The stealthy money making machine. The Hardball Times. Retrieved April 30, 2006 from http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/mlbam-the-stealthy-money-machine/

Cincinnati Reds. (n. d.). Baseball Almanac. Retrieved July 29, 2007 from http://www.baseball-almanac.com/teams/reds.shtml

Deford, F. (1999, April 7). It’s never too late for wrestling. Retrieved July 29, 2007 from http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/inside_game/deford/990407/

Development initiatives. (n. d.). Retrieved July 27, 2007 from http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/international/index.jsp?feature=development

Echevarria, R. G. (1999). The pride of Havana: A history of Cuban baseball. New York: Oxford Press.

Edelman, M. (2005, December 26). A strike against diamond diplomacy. SportBusiness Journal, 30.

Edes, G. (2007, March 30). Rising influence. The Boston Globe. Retrieved July 29, 2007 from http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/articles/2007/03/30/rising_influence/?page=full

Eros, A. (2005, May 23). To reach Latinos, think beyond soccer. SportsBusiness Journal, 22.

Fisher, E. (2006a, March 27). Classic produces comeback victory for commissioner. SportsBusiness Journal, 1.

Fisher, E. (2006b, March 27). Japan wants final, but doubts persist. SportsBusiness Journal, 62.

Foer, F. (2004). How soccer explains the world. New York: Harper Collins.

Foster, G., Greyser, S. A., & Walsh, B. (2006). The business of sports. Mason, OH: Thompson Southwestern.

Friedman, T. L. (2000). The lexus and the olive tree. New York: Anchor Books.

Friedman, T. L. (2005). The world is flat. New York: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux.

Goldman, T. (2005, July 8). Olympics to cut baseball, softball from roster. Retrieved August 11, 2007 from http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4735891

Guevara, A. J., & Fidler, D. P. (2002). Stealing lives: The Globalization of baseball and the tragic story of Alexis Quiroz. Bloomington, IN: Indiana Press.

Harris, D. (1986). The league. New York: Bantam Books.

Historical moments. (n. d.). Retrieved August 3, 2007 from http://www.sportsecyclopedia.com/nl/mtlexpos/expos.html

Horrow, R. (2005, July 8). MLB business report: Halfway through 2005. Retrieved April 30, 2006 from http://cbs.sportsline.com/general/story/8630563

King, B. (2006, March 13). Speaking their language. SportsBusiness Journal. Retrieved April 14, 2006 from http://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=search.show_article&articleId=49774&keyword=speaking,%20language

Klein, A. M. (2006). Growing the game: The globalization of baseball. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.

Lapointe, J. (1992, October 19). European influx challenges NHL's new world order International Herald Tribune. Retrieved July 29, 2007 from http://www.iht.com/articles/1992/10/19/hock_0.php

Lefton, T. (2006, February 20). Classic rounding third toward a profit. SportsBusiness Journal, 3.

London calling. (2007, March 1). Sports Illustrated. Retrieved July 29, 2007 from http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/hockey/nhl/03/01/hkn.duck.kings/index.html

Longley, N., & McKelvey, S. (2006, March 13). Venezuela holds lessons for MLB. SportsBusiness Journal, 24.

Major League Baseball International. (n. d.). Retrieved July 26, 2007 from http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/international/index.jsp?feature=mlbi

McGrath, J. (2006, March 5). World Baseball Classic? Not until it’s in July. The News Tribune. Retrieved April 29, 2006 from http://www.thenewstribune.com/sports/columnists/mcgrath/story/5567786p-5009783c.html

Mickle, T. (2006, April 3). Finding the path to Hispanic fans. SportsBusiness Journal, 5.

Miller, J. E. (1990). The baseball business. Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina Press.

MLB Advanced Media and Reakosys sign wireless game publishing agreement in Korea. (2006, April 4). Retrieved July 25, 2007 from http://mlb.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20060404&content_id=1383276&vkey=pr_mlbcom&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb

MLB Advanced Media and Tasuke sign wireless game publishing agreement in Japan. (2006, July 31). Retrieved August 7, 2007 from http://mlb.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20060731&content_id=1585428&vkey=pr_mlbcom&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb

Moag & Company (2006, Fall). Diamond Note$. Retrieved August 7, 2007 from http://www.moagandcompany.com/i_a/dn_2006_baseball.pdf

NBA announces opening of office in London. (2007, July 10). Retrieved July 29, 2007 from http://www.nba.com/global/uk/nba_london_office_070516.html

NBA International historic timeline. (n. d.). Retrieved July 30m 2007 from http://hoopedia.nba.com/index.php/NBA_International_Historic_Timeline

Neilson Media Research (n.d.). TV ratings. Retrieved April 30, 2006 from http://www.nielsenmedia.com/nc/portal/site/Public/menuitem.55dc65b4a7d5adff3f65936147a062a0/?vgnextoid=34953b318b906010VgnVCM100000880a260aRCRD

Newman, M. (2007, July 29). With records looming, baseball booming. Retrieved August 2, 2007 from http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070729&content_id=2116693&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb

NFL Europa closes. (n. d.). Retrieved July 29, 2007 from http://www.nfleurope.com/news/story/10243240

NFL to play regular season games outside the U.S. starting in 2007. (2006, October 24). Retrieved July 29, 2007 from http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/2006-10-24-international-games_x.htm

Political hardball. (1999, March 26). Retrieved August 12, 2007 from http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/baseball/mlb/news/1999/03/25/cuba_package/

Posner, J. (2006, March 2). World Baseball Classic: Pool A. San Diego Union Tribune. Retrieved April 30, 2006 from http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20060302/news_lz1s2poola.html

Rains, R. (2001). Baseball samurais. New York: St. Martins.

Rojas, E. (2006, March 16). Cuba wants to host WBC, play more often. Retrieved April 24, 2006 from http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/worldclassic2006/news/story?id=2371083

Schwarz, A. (2005, May 10). World Cup announcement made. Baseball America Online. Retrieved July 29, 2007 from http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2057633

Seymour, H. (1971). Baseball: The golden age. New York: Oxford University Press.

Sponsorship roster announced for the inaugural World Baseball Classic. (2006, March 7) Retrieved April 29, 2006 from http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20060307&content_id=1338217&vkey=pr_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb

Szymanski, S., & Zimbalist, A. (2005). National Pastime: How Americans play baseball and the rest of the world plays soccer. Washington D.C.: Brookings Institute.

Treasury Department allows Cuba into WBC. (2006, January 23). Retrieved August 12, 2007 from http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/worldclassic2006/news/story?id=2299485

Turning the dream into reality. (n. d.). Retrieved July 29, 2007 from http://www.nfleurope.com/news/archive/15082000_histintro

WBC silences its critics. (2006, March 27). SportsBusiness Journal, 58.

Weisman, L. (2004, July 21). Silver and black still tops in NFL merchandise sales. USA Today. Retrieved July 28, 2007 from http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/2004-07-21-merchandising-sales_x.htm

Wetzel, D. (2006, September 3). A question of mistrust. Retrieved August 11, 2007 from http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=dw-howard090306&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

What are today’s youth playing and watching? (2006, March 27). SportsBusiness Journal, 46.

Whiting, R. (1990). You gotta have wa. New York: Vintage Books.

Whiting, R. (2004). The meaning of Ichiro. New York: Warner Books.

Wilner, B. (2006, March 30). NFL may play preseason game in China. Retrieved July 29, 2007 from http://news.imagethief.com/blogs/china/archive/2006/03/30/6252.aspx

World Baseball Classic FAQ. (2006). Retrieved April 29, 2006 from http://www.worldbaseballclassic.com/2006/about/index.jsp?sid=wbc