I haven’t gone off on sports in a long time, so let’s! The new Potawatomi Bingo Casino sponsorship of The Milwaukee Brewers last month, including signage and advertising deals, went virtually undetected. That article along with a lone AP release buried on Google was it. MLB.com, ESPN.com and The Milwaukee Brewers own site? Nothing. Okay, how is that possible unless they were trying to bury it on purpose.You mean A-Rod was a smokescreen after all that?
Ok, I know we’re six years in from when the WNBA’s Connecticut Sun started playing at the Mohegan Sun casino, and I’m far from naive when it comes to stuff that goes on in all sports, but there’s still a line you don’t cross here.
Perception is reality.
Especially in a family-oriented sport like baseball. The NFL might claim it appeals to families, but the majority of fans who go to games are anything but family-friendly. Baseball can still make the claim. At least until now.
Sure, a couple of guys might hit the casino and not think twice about the connection, but if you had young kids, would you feel right taking them to a MLB game if it was a casino sponsoring it? What if the casino was next door? Or in the ballpark?
“But it’s, it’s just a few banners.”
That’s how it always starts. Little moves just like that. Next thing you know, Vegas gets the NFL team it wanted. Then comes the NBA and playing cards with players on them. “Kids, collect all 30 teams!”
Maybe I’m being really old school here, and yes, revenue will be substantial for the team and a marketing win-win, but this just seems wrong. Tangental to the discussion but still relevant: If this is acceptable, then MLB needs to reinstate Pete Rose back into baseball, if for no other reason than to at least give him a shot at entering the HOF as a player.
Here’s why:
1) Hustle. No matter what you say about how he handled the apology aspect of his gambling troubles, you can’t deny what he did on the field as a player.
2) A-Rod. Forget everything else, you can’t spin this: He took a substance which directly affected not only his stats, but the outcome of games, and yet, he’s back playing. Not even a suspension. First, if we’re talking about integrity of the game, how is that even possible and second, how is that not worse than what Rose did?
3) O.J. After all he went through? He’s still in the NFL HOF. (So is Paul Hornung, Green Bay Packers uber hero, even after he bet on games as a player.)
Those are different sports of course, but here’s where I think there needs to be a universal set of regulations for certain things which applies to all leagues: Salary cap, instant replay, drug testing (and subsequent penalties for any failures), gambling, and lastly, fighting. Anyone who watches enough sports knows how these things are handled differently.
How long now before Little League gets sponsored by Coors?
(Original image via. Yes it’s a story on bingo, not craps, but I couldn’t resist the dice, I just couldn’t.)
Tags: Milwaukee Brewers Potawatomi casino
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You used to know them as the Milwaukee Brewers. Now they're Milwaukee Brewers Baseball presented by Potawatomi Bingo Casino
Are the Brewers owned by Bud Selig? Is Selig the commissioner? Is Kenesaw Mountain Landis spinning in his grave?
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