The best kind of PR

On public relations and other matters fans shouldn’t worry about.

Since when did people start caring more about Phillies PR than Phillies baseball?

This is a pretty recent phenomenon. Does it happen only here, or does it happen everywhere?

I work in a marketing department, and trust me, it's not exciting.

I hear and read this a lot. The Phillies don’t "connect" with fans. On talk radio, I hear it about as much as I hear commentary on actual baseball.

I have to admit, in the Philadelphia sports lexicon, I hate the word "connect" as much as I hate the word "passionate."

Here’s how you to solve the puzzle. You win. Riddle solved.

Because if it’s connecting we’re talking about, I have to admit; when I go to Citizen’s Bank Park, I feel pretty comfortable actually. Call me crazy, but that’s how I feel. My seat is good, my hot dog is good. Everything is good.

Even though I don’t know a single person who collects a check from the Phillies, I certainly wouldn’t have a problem meeting one, and maybe, making a connection with one.

Maybe we could become pen pals.

Part of the problem under Ed Wade was the baseball side of the business too often took cues from what fans wanted to see. He read too many columns, and listen to too much radio.

Under Gillick, that has to change. There has to be a separation of church and state between the baseball side and the PR side. When he hears and reads lines like " such-and-such a trade would be a PR nightmare," he should ignore it and do what’s best to produce a winner.

Let Scott Palmer and friends figure out the non-baseball side and leave baseball decisions to baseball men like Pat Gillick.

Comments

[Tom G]

I agree wholeheartedly. Winning cures all. Also, I want to compliment you on managing to obtain a photograph of PR people in their natural environment. Very scientific.

[Billy Mac]

Bravo Jason. This is a recent phenomenon where there is more talk about the business side of the team then the actual games themselves. I recall in the last years of the Vet, the talk shows were focusing on attendance and television ratings. Who cares? Winning will cure all ills.

[Tom Durso]

Hey, hey, why all the PR-people-bashing?

[don eminizer]

Here's some P.R. that will help the fans "connect" with the team...

Jim Thome "Connecting" with 50 or so long balls...

Gillick "connecting" with a staff ace...

Phillies connecting their fingers to some gaudy jewelry at the end of the season...

[Ed Bassett]

The coverage about the business aspect comes about for two reasons. One is that accountability has finally touched the GM and CEO level where ticket sales is what they care about (less so about winning). The Phillies are not an organization of basball men. When Bill Giles was involved his reaction was to sign players or bring in people to put folks in the seats. He was correspondingly uninterested in his minor league teams and player development.

Second, apparently these people had no clue as to the level of resentment building up against them. Now that it affects attendance, they've noticed. We are interested because we've learned that's the only way Phillies' management and ownership can be motivated. Unfortunately, the sports talk radio mentality is short term, and needs to be somewhat resisted by intelligent management.