A True NYC Showdown?

Newsletter #31 | A True NYC Showdown?

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This week the LA Dodgers face off against the NYC Yankees in the MLB World Series. New Yorkers narrowly missed out on a Subway Series round two as the Mets were defeated at the final hurdle. But while this year, the teams will fly cross-country to contest for victory, less than a century ago they would’ve been able to walk to face off against eachother. 

The LA Dodgers are an east-coast transplant. Originally based in Brooklyn, after 68 seasons the Dodgers packed up and moved west in 1958. The last MLB game to be played in Brooklyn saw the Dodgers defeat the Pittsburgh Pirates 2-0 in September 1957. 

The mastermind behind the move? Walter O’Malley, who became the president and chief stockholder of the Dodgers in 1950. He had been pushing for the development of a more modern stadium for the team in Brooklyn since the start of the decade (Ebbets Field was over 40 years old), but NYC officials refused his suggested location on the corner of Atlantic and Flatbush. 

In an ironic twist of fate, this is now the site of the Barclays Center, home of the Brooklyn Nets and New York Liberty. 

O’Malley couldn’t fathom a move to Queens (the city officials’ proposed solution), and bought the Los Angeles Angels franchise in a deal with Phillip Wrigley, allegedly hashed out on the back of an old envelope. 

His assessment of the new location? “Brooklyn fans are born. Los Angeles fans are made. Both are free with the advice.”

A Sporting Spectacle 

As any tourist visiting New York should, over the summer I attended a baseball game—hotdogs, pretzels, merchandise, and all. My main takeaway, which true sporting fans have corroborated, is that while people might go for the baseball, they stay for the show. 

Every minute that play wasn’t live was an opportunity for a sponsored segment. Dunkin Donuts, Delta, Coca-Cola, Hyundai, and many more were a key part of the experience. Mr. and Mrs. Met were also in attendance during a New Balance-sponsored DJ segment, providing an insight into the wild world of sporting mascots. 

Dancing on the spot Walter O’Malley had hoped to claim for the Dodgers, the New York Liberty’s Ellie the Elephant has become a staple feature of games (and advertising) over the last season. The Liberty increased sponsorship by 60% YOY this season, with Ellie amassing over 100,000 Instagram followers, and performing alongside Ciara and Lil Kim. Ellie has been a key draw for brand partners including Nike , Bumble, Lyft , and Glowbar , offering companies a unique opportunity to engage with fans. 

Game. Set. Match. 

Advertising and sports have a long history. The world’s biggest brands compete for space on jerseys, venue names, and coveted slots during the Super Bowl and World Cup. 

The Dodgers may have made the West Coast jump, but their advertising focus has shifted to the global stage. The presence of Japanese star Shohei Ohtani has increased the team’s appeal in Japan and secured deals with All Nippon Airways , Toyo Tyres, Kowa Company, and Daiso. 

For their World Series showdown, Fox has reportedly been seeking $450,000-500,000 for a 30-second spot in the first five games, expecting a price rise in the event of a sixth or seventh game. 

WARC described sport as “one of the last remaining watercooler moments” in an increasingly fragmented media environment. However, the Global Ad Trends Report demonstrated that even sports’ enduring qualities are under threat as the way audiences consume and engage with sports becomes increasingly complex. 

Take the sporting events on offer this week: coverage of the NBA, NFL, and MLB spans broadcast and cable TV (NBC, ESPN, Fox) as well as OTT (Peacock, Amazon Prime, Hulu, YouTube TV) and dedicated mobile apps. Fans are being pulled in multiple directions, for both their time and money, and this environment makes it even harder for brands to stand out. 

Jessica Ling reminded the audience at Advertising Week New York that true brand building comes through consistency, a message reinforced in the latest research from System1 and the IPA (Institute of Practitioners in Advertising) . “Creativity and consistency” are the keys to success for Andrew Tindall , echoing Ling’s reminder that "If all you’re doing is reacting there’s no brand it’s just a series of moments." 

Insights from Meta , Kantar , and CreativeX (launching soon), double down on the element of creativity. Drawing on data from 56,984 Meta assets across 1,295 campaigns and 13.1 billion impressions over 3 years, the findings demonstrate the continued importance of human connection in advertising.

As Rebecca Dykema put it: "Intimacy has always played an important role in advertising. This research shows that it continues to be the most important lever for success, and as fast as people are scrolling, that ability to build human connection still drives impact." 

The Road Ahead 

Walter O’Malley doesn’t enjoy high levels of popularity in his old New York borough. But his observation about sports fans does hold (at least the last part): “Brooklyn fans are born. Los Angeles fans are made. Both are free with the advice.”

Sports fans are among the most engaged consumers on the planet. To reach them brands need to produce content that is consistent with their team’s history and identity, as well as creatively excellent. Striking that balance and ensuring the interest in this year’s World Series converts into results should be at the forefront of advertising decision-making. 

Sound off on whether Dodgers v. Yankees counts as a NYC showdown. 

Thanks for reading!

CreativeX