MLB and Play Ball to Renovate Fields All Over America

Major League Baseball draws in a ton of money, probably literally, each and every year but the one thing that separates MLB from other huge businesses is that they are constantly giving back. The league and the Play Ball association are giving back as they launch a new community program to refurbish ballfields all across the country over the next three years.

MLB will work side-by-side with The Scotts Company to renovate diamonds with new grass, fences and other enhancements such as scoreboards and dugouts. Big league teams will have a say in which local fields receive makeovers and I’m sure other fields will be made over as well during the course of the new program, not all the details have been released at this time though.

MLB says participation in baseball was up 4.3 percent last season over the 2014 season so the interest is there and so is the initiative by the league to not see this momentum stall. Good for the league and good for all those kids and young adults that benefit from the program. I love it!

Good Call on Cal Ripken & Youth Baseball

Major League Baseball has begun an initiative to expand the brand not only domestically but around the world. This is a plan that doesn’t take the easy way out and leaves no stone unturned as it starts with potential ball players as children and stays with them all the way on their quest to the Major Leagues. That plan just got a little bit easier this week when MLB announced that Hall of Famer and former Baltimore Orioles legend Cal Ripken Jr. would begin working with youth baseball and softball initiatives and programs as a special adviser.

Cal is well known for having his hand in the process of developing youth programs and bringing the game to young children, especially those who are considered impoverished or underserved. Ripken will work with the Play Ball initiative senior vice president Tony Reagins and join the MLB Youth Programs Advisory Committee. The committee’s main goal is to evaluate and improve the quality of existing programs and identify new programs that can help grow the sport. Ripken’s biggest asset to the club may be the fact that he will also represent the committee and league in public events.

Good call Commissioner Rob Manfred and good call Major League Baseball. Putting an inspiring and recognizable face on the initiative can only help grow the sport and he brand. Ripken has helped build more than 50 youth development parks and multipurpose fields that now give children safe places to play through the Ripken Baseball organization.

Congrats on the new gig Cal and a big congrats to Major League Baseball, you got this one right.