Derek Jeter didn't spark a bidding war as a free agent this offseason and this billboard spotted by Tremendous Upside Potential in Chicagoland gives a good explanation: Why overpay the 36-year-old shortstop, when you can get his intangible marketing skills for free?
That the Chicago Cubs are using a New York Yankees superstar to push their product comes as no surprise. The team has disappointed the last two seasons, tickets to Wrigley Field are no longer held at a premium and the promise of seeing the Yankees in the Friendly Confines from June 17-19 is an enticing one. Even though only a few thousand seats for that series will be up for grabs on Friday, it's a good way to get people through their virtual door. Maybe they'll snap up a few tickets for a bad date against Pittsburgh to ease their disappointment (though probably not).
At the same time, it's incredibly disappointing for Cubs fans — maybe even embarrassing — because hyping and selling visiting teams is the last tactic of a desperate franchise. The Tampa Bay Rays and Arizona Diamondbacks should be doing things like this, but not the Cubs.
Perhaps the Cubs marketing team will claim that it was only trying to establish a line of succession between Starlin Castro, Chicago's bright young shortstop, and the great Jeter. But even that would ring hollow, because the Cubs already had an in-house Hall of Fame shortstop to slap up on that billboard next to Castro. Guy by the name of Ernie Banks.
Carmelo Anthonyy John Lackey Paul Pierce Darrius Heyward-Bey Jeff Gordon
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