I'm going to do a more in-depth business approach to this dynasty. I have always been huge in following business, advertising strategy and patterns, and ways companies run themselves. I'll do these monthly recaps under the name “Underbelly,” an in-depth look at everything from a business and marketing standpoint.
UNDERBELLY: The inside information on Australian Rules Baseball for October 2008
IN THIS MONTH'S ISSUE:
- Single table rankings / Business / Top players
- Salary cap crisis
- How to market to Australians? Pain.
- Free Beer Day: What could this mean for baseball in Australia, as well as other promotional events in the world of sports?
- The month that was
The very first month of ARB is a surprising and visually appealing success. The drive for baseball specific stadiums really seems to of helped the team, with the ARB Board of Directors making it known that they refused to rent. It has already paid off a lot quicker than most would suspect. Fans are closer together, stadiums are full, and the lack of empty seats looks better on television.
The ARB has decided to make a number of things known to the public regarding the progress of their business. They keep a close on on the teams and their market, using some kind of secret mathematical formula to calculate “fan interest.” They will be releasing monthly statements regarding each team.
It should also be noted that every team's “fan interest” started at a 5. These ratings are out of 100.
SINGLE TABLE RANKINGS THROUGH OCTOBER 2008 / BUSINESS / TOP PLAERS
1. Adelaide: 17-10
Fan Interest: 68
Total Attendance: 103,645
Avg. Attendance: 7,973 (8,000)
Ticket Price: $13 AUD
Top Players (so far this season)
AVG: Geronimo Cordes (2B/3B/SS), .421
HR: Gilbert “Amazing” Sternberg (3B) AND Geronimo Cordes (2B/3B/SS), 9.
RBI: George Lopez (LF), 26
SB: George Lopez (LF) AND Geronimo Cordes (2B/3B/SS) AND Javier Espada (CF/RF), 2.
OPS: Millard “The Dragon” Wagers (LF), 1.184
ERA: RHP James Smith (SP), 3.40
W: RHP Karl Keese (SP) AND RHP Bernard Sequeira (SP) AND RHP Roger Williams (SP), 3
SV: RHP Avelino Lugo (CL), 8
SO: RHP James Smith (SP), 37
2. New Zealand Outsiders: 16-11
Fan Interest: 69
Total Attendance: 85,101
Avg. Attendance: 5,673 (5,700)
Ticket Price: $13 AUD
Top Players (so far this season)
AVG: Fred Robin (LF, RF), .398
HR: Ronald Schulz (RF), 10
RBI: Ronald Schulz (RF), 26
SB: Fred Robin (LF, RF), 11
OPS: Jon Nolan (CF), .966
ERA: RHO Javier Ciles (SP), 3.41
W: RHP Josef “The Hammer” Cunningham (SP), 4
SV: RHP Kareem Ritch (CL), 8
SO: RHP Richard Gholston (SP), 28
3. Sydney Premiers: 13-14
Fan Interest: 69
Total Attendance: 184,158
Avg. Attendance: 14,166 (14,200)
Ticket Price: $13 AUD
Top Players (so far this season)
AVG: Mark Mote (RF), .414
HR: Gregg Martin (3B), 11
RBI: Gregg Martin (3B), 29
SB: Millard Bennett (CF, LF), 5
OPS: Mark Mote (RF), 1.143
ERA: LHP Edgar Villanueva (SP), 3.14
W: LHP Edgar Villanueva (SP), 4
SV: RHP Cristian Gonzalez (RP) AND RHP Luis Lanza (CL), 2
SO: RHP Robert Dahlgren (SP), 38
4. Brisbane: 12-15
Fan Interest: 67
Total Attendance: 146,519
Avg. Attendance: 11,271 (11,300)
Ticket Price: $13 AUD
Top Players (so far this season)
AVG: Tomas Dueno (2B/3B/SS), .304
HR: Michael Smith (1B/DH), 10
RBI: Fransisco Sousa (2B), 18
SB: Curtis Thomas (2B/3B/SS) AND Tommy Fisher (CF) AND Leon Linehan (LF/RF), 4
OPS: Leon Lineham (LF/RF), .969
ERA: LHP Robert Harrison (SP), 4.38
W: RHP Kenneth Hendershot (SP), 3
SV: RHP John Finch (CL), 7
SO: LHP Robert Harrison (SP), 31
5. Perth: 12-15
Fan Interest: 67
Total Attendance: 88,090
Avg. Attendance: 6,776 (6,800)
Ticket Price: $13
Top Players (so far this season)
AVG: Franklin Pearson (2B/3B), .302
HR: Hugh “Bones” Mollett (2B/SS), 8
RBI: Andrew Seybert (3B), 24
SB: Hugh “Bones” Mollett, 6
OPS: Hugh “Bones” Mollett, .966
ERA: RHP Norman McLemore (SP), 3.52
W: LHP Oscar Duty (SP) AND RHP Abraham Diez (SP) AND LHP Adam Roberts (RP), 2
SV: RHP Franky Torres (CL), 2
SO: LHP Oscar Duty (SP), 40
6. Melbourne: 11-16
Fan Interest: 66
Total Attendance: 223,738
Avg. Attendance: 15,981 (16,000)
Ticket Price: $13 AUD
Top Players (so far this season)
AVG: Ronnie May (2B), .340
HR: Alfonso Mijangos (1B/DH), 8
RBI: Alfonso Mijangos (1B/DH) AND George Ryles (LF/RF) AND John Cargile (3B/2B), 21
SB: Mark Lococo (RF/LF), 7
OPS: Christopher Cummins (CF/RF), .978
ERA: RHP Claude Stehle (SP), 2.08
W: LHP Jose Acha (SP), 3
SV: RHP Chigemi Atsushi (CL), 4
SO: LHP Wayne Moser (SP), 44
Salary Cap Crisis
The ARB Board of Directors tried to keep this secret. For a good year or so, they have acted all-powerful and all-knowing. That was very charming to see a league so young move around with the arrogance of the National Football League, yet still connect with the common man.
When the board announced that every team would be capped at $6,000,000 AUD, they meant it. After all, they weeded out potential owners, forced owners to build baseball specific stadiums and already have a plan to do so before even qualifying, and managed to bully media outlets in giving them television and newspaper coverage. A very ambition, yet a very ruthless and aggressive bunch of people who run the ARB.
After all, it must take a lot of ruthlessness and ambition to try and market baseball in a country that has had cricket for quiet awhile.
Which comes as a shock that their salary cap is flawed. It is rumored that many teams have grossly exceeded this cap, yet nobody has made any salaries known to the public. Issues regarding salary, both team and individual, have been talked behind closed doors. Tons of rumors flying around, but the general idea amongst a lot of people are that all six teams didn't even acknowledge the cap and went out throwing their money around.
Some say a union put pressure on teams, but there hasn't even been a strong well-organized union set up for the players yet. Everyone will need to get on the same page before this all unravels into a huge mess. Whatever, and whenever, it gets to the press, this won't look very pretty.
How to market to Australians? Pain.
Let the bodies hit the floor.
Baseball is a tougher sport than most realize. A sport of outlaws, where vigilante justice reigns supreme. While we have yet to see any intentional hit-by-pitch scenarios, Australia has seen two HBP incidents that proved to be very gruesome. A line drive off of a fielder's head drove the point home – this isn't a wussy sport, and you Aussies just might enjoy this.
18 year old Adelaide 1B prospect Daniel Fortuna was hit by a pitch, broke his hand, and was put out for eight weeks. The very next day, Adelaide catcher Wayne Rouse would get a broken finger and would be put out for four to five weeks from an HBP.
36 year old New Zealand 2B Luther Clark wasn't so lucky, receiving a broken wrist from a HBP that has put him out for the rest of the season.
Brisbane catcher David Diaz went to block the plate, only to get run down and have his skull fractured. It would put him out for seven weeks.
Melbourne's young right-handed starting pitcher Jason Owens showed a lot of grit as he took a line drive off of his chin, and managed to walk off of the field on his own. He was listed as day-to-day with a bruised jaw, and nothing else.
Australians have learned quickly that this isn't a sport to write off since it doesn't have the consistent hard-hitting action that rugby or Australian rules football has, with all of the incidents mentioned above invading the sports highlights.
Free Beer Day: What could this mean for baseball in Australia, as well as other promotional events in the world of sports?
Perth baseball is known as The Home of the Bell, where a big Liberty Bell-style bell stands amongst all and rings throughout five times before the game. Perth is five games out of first, sporting a 12-15 record. While baseball's popularity has followed with the rest of the country in Perth, winning ways and getting fans to be with them through the whole game is what they wish to fix.
The answer? Free Beer Day on November 29
th vs. Melbourne.
“I don't think we've had trouble making ourselves heard the whole game,” said a member of the Hell's Bells support group that sells little bells outside the stadium before games. “We come to the game, we sing and yell, we ring our bells, we do a good job. It's not our fault the team isn't winning.”
“But I won't complain about free beer,” the supporter admitted.
Free Beer Day will be held on the 50
th birthday of ARB founder and head of it's Board of Directors, Wallie Finkleman. Last year, Wallie was celebrating his 49
th as the ARB was in it's fetus stage. Now he might be tempted to celebrate it at The Home of the Bell.
“It sounds like a lot of fun, and I'll absolutely be there,” said Finkleman. “But I will call for the Perth baseball club to be careful and use extra security on this night.”
The Perth baseball club will be taking precautions. More security than usual, limits on how much everyone can drink, and will even go as far as to check people before they leave. They promise checks to be quick, and want to make it a fun experience without anyone getting hurt or out of control.
“We wants fans to get into this,” said a Perth spokesman. “We want them to enjoy the beer, get really loud, bring their bells, and just have a fun time. We hope Wallie [Finkleman] comes and has a great birthday.”
The beer will be supplied by Cooper's Brewery, the sponsors of the regular season Australian Trophy.
The month that was
October 9
th – Adelaide's 3B John Rathburn gets five hits and two RBI's in a game vs. Melbourne at the Adelaide Baseball Field.
October 11
th – The Player of the Week Award went to CF Steve Largent (Sydney Premiers). He batted .556 in 18 at-bats, hitting one homer and driving in six RBI.
October 14
th – Brisbane 1B Michael Smith crushed four home runs in a single game against Melbourne, one of them in the 12
th in Brisbane's dramatic 10-8 home victory.
October 18
th – The Player of the Week Award went to LF Fred Robin (New Zealand Outsiders). He hit .500 in 36 AB, with two HR and ten RBI.
October 28
th – Brisbane SS Curtis Thomas drove in eight RBI in his team's 17-10 road win against New Zealand.
November 1
st – 2B Tomas Dueno (Brisbane) won Player of the Week, hitting .519 in 27 AB, with one HR and 5 RBI.
RF Mark Monte (Sydney Premiers) won October Batter of the Month. He hit .414 in 111 AB, hitting seven HR and with 20 RBI.
LHP Edgar Villanueva (Syndey Premiers) won October Pitcher of the Month. He went 4-2 in six games, with an ERA of 3.14.