Catie Griggs on the Business of Baseball and Growing MLB

The State of Baseball and Fan Engagement

• ⚾ The business of baseball is strong, with a unique role in the sports ecosystem due to its many games and ability to bring communities together.
• 📈 Attendance and TV viewership remain strong, with the introduction of the pitch clock and shortened game times playing a role in fan engagement.
• 💡 The guiding principle is that doing the right thing for fans is ultimately good for business, especially in an era of shortened attention spans.

Growing Major League Baseball

• 🎯 MLB needs to focus on creating environments where all fans feel welcome and wanted, recognizing the changing diversity of athletes and the need to serve entire communities.
• 🗣️ Enhancing the connection fans have to athletes through improved storytelling about their lives and characteristics, similar to the NBA's success, is crucial.
• 🤝 Players are generally willing to share their stories, but the challenge lies in doing so organically, authentically, and comfortably given the demands of a long baseball season.

Leveraging Baseball's Rich Heritage

• 🌟 Baseball's tradition and history are significant assets, with moments like the seventh-inning stretch and the enduring legacy of past athletes creating unique connections.
• 🏙️ The Baltimore Orioles leverage their rich heritage, including figures like Cal Ripken Jr., to tie present and future successes back to what makes the sport and community great.
• 📍 Camden Yards is highlighted as a cathedral and a strategic asset, with a commitment to enhancing the fan experience and ensuring the ballpark remains a vibrant part of the city.

Competing in the American League East

• 🤝 The Orioles compete by being themselves, leaning into their unique strengths like their community, ballpark, and a mentality of outworking opponents, exemplified by Cal Ripken Jr.'s ethos.
• 🏗️ While teams like the Braves have built extensive developments around their stadiums, the Orioles focus on enhancing the urban core experience of Camden Yards and its surrounding area, collaborating with public and private sectors.
• 💡 The strategy involves doubling down on the fan experience within the ballpark and ensuring the area around it is a safe, comfortable, and desirable place for fans and the community.

Media and Future Growth

• 📺 The evolving media landscape presents challenges, particularly in making it easy for fans to find and watch games, whether locally or nationally.
• 🌐 There's an opportunity to move towards presenting content in a way that aligns with how fans think: "I love the O's and I want to watch my team," regardless of their location.
• 📈 The focus is on ensuring games are accessible to as many fans as possible, with Major League Baseball dedicated to improving national and international reach.

Career and Personal Insights

• 💡 The best advice received is to "Be honest" and to seek deal-making partners who offer different perspectives.
• 🚀 For a career in sports, advice includes working hard, being kind, building relationships, and not getting in one's own way.
• ❤️ The intrinsic motivation for working in sports is the power it has to bring communities together, create a sense of place, and bring people joy.