The Importance Of Community Relations In The MLB Team

MLB player involvement in the community is a wonderful thing when it all comes together and benefits the organization and the community. Matthew Wagner, Assistant Director or the Cincinnati Reds Community Fund said, “Our biggest challenge is not players who want to be involved but finding the time for them to be involved” (M. Wagner, personal communication, March 23, 2016). Baseball games are being played everyday and even though players are trying to fit it in their schedules to make an impact in their community that doesn’t always happen. Often times the best scenario is when the organization schedules community volunteer days for the team’s off day or if the management requires their players to go out into the community. A lot of players have a cause or an organization that they resonate with or is close to their heart. In this situation organizations encourage and help players to get in contact with that organization and be a spokesperson for them and promote a cause they are genuinely passionate about. Typically this
They are doing amazing things but there is surely room for a lot of improvement. The White Sox have their Volunteer Corps, which is a creative idea and a nice way to get people to volunteer in their communities and with the team they support; other MLB teams should follow their lead. White Sox Community Relations Coordinator, Caitlin Hanley said, “Our Volunteer Corps is so popular among fans…every team should have one in place” (C. Hanley, personal communication, March 25, 2015). The White Sox also produce #SoxStories where fans can share a story of what the White Sox mean to them and the chosen fans get to come to the ballpark and go in the clubhouse and dugout before the game. This is a community relation’s practice that looks good on social media. Other MLB teams do something similar, but not all do. It is simply a matter of time before they all catch on to this