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The 2023 Major League Baseball season is well and truly underway and there’s only one thing that everybody around the league wants to talk about.
It’s the pitch clock.
The controversial new rule implemented to speed up the game has already sparked its fair share of controversies and fans don’t seem sure on where they fall on the issue.
Both pitchers and batters have already fallen afoul of the rule. Los Angeles Angels superstar Shohei Ohtani was on the wrong side of things as both a pitcher and a batter on Wednesday night. While Padres star third baseman Manny Machado was ejected following a strikeout due to a pitch clock violation.
For now, at least, it appears the clock is here to stay.
Michael McCarthy of Front Office Sports reports that is hoping to find a sponsor for the pitch and that teams are exploring local sponsorship opportunities as well.
“MLB is open for business,” said one source.
An MLB-wide sponsorship with a watchmaker or technology company would be worth $10 million or more a year, estimated Bob Dorfman, a sports marketing analyst at Pinnacle Advertising.
“That’s worth eight figures or more,” he said, especially if the sponsor’s brand is standardized and visible behind the batter.
MLB’s 30 teams could also sell local pitch clock sponsorship for millions apiece.
“I would think any time-related company would jump on it. Particularly this season. It’s got so much attention. It’s successful, “ Dorfman said. “Everybody seems to be loving it. Any watch- or time-related company would jump all over it. Even TIME magazine.” – via Front Office Sports
The report led to mix reactions. Some fans believed that it showed MLB didn’t want to help the game, but rather make more money.
so it’s never going away cause they can make money while at the same time destroying the in-person experience! cool! https://t.co/EvSHc75xTO
— Alyssa 🏎️ (@justaIyssa) April 6, 2023
Any of you that thought it was about "fixing" pace for the "fan".
It's obvious it's never been about the baseball experience. Commodification is moving forward and you can see it clearly IF you want to "notice".
The coming ABS is next. Make baseball like everything else. https://t.co/U6ziIJ60c2— aquaspace (@starsandfrogs) April 6, 2023
Others, however, loved the idea. And they came up with some hilarious sponsorship ideas of their own.
“Jimmy Johns ‘freaky fast’ deal soon come,” one Twitter user said.
https://twitter.com/crawf34/status/1644015149035171843?s=20
“The Brewers staff are really having problems tonight with the Geico Pitch Clock – Geico, fifteen minutes could save you fifteen percent or more on care insurance – and the Brewers wish they had another fifteen seconds here and there’s a drive into deep left field by Castellanos,” said another.
The Brewers staff are really having problems tonight with the Geico Pitch Clock – Geico, fifteen minutes could save you fifteen percent or more on care insurance – and the Brewers wish they had another fifteen seconds here and there's a drive into deep left field by Castellanos https://t.co/ZhT2shGq7c
— Rob Hoadley (@robhoadley) April 6, 2023
“The pitcher is supposed to get the job done in 15 seconds, not you. Be Roman ready,” @Joe_Sheehan said.
"The pitcher is supposed to get the job done in 15 seconds, not you. Be Roman ready." https://t.co/WERycAlYpp
— Joe Sheehan (@joe_sheehan) April 6, 2023
Those hoping to see the pitch clock go away after one season may want to close their eyes. Because it appears the clock isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.