Minors tout resilience, creativity

This oft-repeated cliché usually refers to the continual one-upmanship that takes place between batter and pitcher, but it is applicable on a far greater level. The business of baseball is a game of adjustments as well, as teams must constantly adapt to current societal, economic and political realities.

This is a point that Minor League Baseball executive vice president Tim Purpura hammered home during his speech at the Opening Session of the Winter Meetings on Monday, remarking that baseball will continue to thrive by being "more creative, more nimble and more opportunistic than the competitors."

"There is no sector in the entertainment business that gives more value for the money spent than Minor League Baseball," he said.

And perhaps more than anything else, this is what the annual Baseball Winter Meetings are all about. While most of the news to emanate from the labyrinthian corridors of the Disney Swan Resort will concern high-profile Major League maneuverings, a far greater percentage of attendees work within Minor League Baseball. And by and large, they are in Orlando to strategize ways to remain as creative, nimble and opportunistic as possible.

Monday's proceedings amply illustrated this point. The Opening Session serves as the industry's de facto "State of the Union," with the focal point being Minor League Baseball president Pat O'Conner's speech. Like the State of the Union address annually delivered by our commander-in-chief, such a speech necessarily traffics in generalities but still serves as an illuminating look at the ever-shifting priorities of a diverse nationwide industry.

"We have been and always will be, a grass roots-based collection of small businesses with a powerful brand and the great American Pastime as our principal product," said O'Conner, who added that "Minor League Baseball continues to post strong cash flow returns with increases in Gross Revenue between the 2008 and 2009 reporting cycles."

These observations led O'Conner to his main point, that using "these assets for only commercial gain, equity appreciation and wealth accumulation is a gross underutilization of their true value." He advocated increased community involvement throughout the Minor Leagues, especially within inner cities, encompassing everything from tutoring and mentoring programs to youth baseball leagues.

"It involves reaching out through 'aggressive inclusion' to inner-city schools, community centers and neighborhood associations where the centers of influence are strongest and the social need the greatest," he continued.

O'Conner's suggestions are not just altruistic, but also pragmatic. If executed in an aggressive and focused manner, such community-minded initiatives will result in a new generation of fans arising from previously underserved areas of the market. As he said in the opening sentence of his speech, "Relationships are important in this business."

And perhaps the most important relationship in all of Minor League Baseball is its relationship to the Major Leagues. 1990's Professional Baseball Agreement brought stability to the industry by guaranteeing a set amount of Player Development Contracts, the two- or four-year agreements that bind Major League teams and Minor League affiliates.

"We are diligently working toward an agreement with our friends at Major League Baseball to extend our agreement through the year 2020," O'Conner said in concluding his Opening Session remarks.

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The details of the revised Professional Baseball Agreement will be reported on and discussed in the near future. But the remainder of Day 1 of the Winter Meetings was largely dominated by the Bob Freitas Business Seminar, an annual idea-sharing extravaganza. Twenty-five presenters covering five distinct areas of operation spoke throughout the day. A brief sampling:

• In "Shaping the Face of Baseball -- Attracting and Retaining A New Fan Base Through Ballpark Design," Joseph Spear and David Bower of the Populous design firm talked about catering to the "restless fan." They spoke of baseball's power as a social gathering place, advocated standing room-only sections and noted that "The only thing without a view of the field should be the restroom."

• As the originators of "Star Wars" Night and (more recently) Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd theme promotions, the West Michigan Whitecaps have long been leaders when it comes to theme jerseys. In "Maximizing Specialty Jersey Nights," Whitecaps execs Jim Jarecki and Steve McCarthy unveiled their thorough corporate philosophy regarding this ever-growing ballpark promotion. The Whitecaps currently do 10 specialty jerseys a year, five related to a cause and five for fun.

• And speaking of jerseys, Brooklyn Cyclones general manager Steve Cohen spoke on staging attention-grabbing promotions such as last season's "Jersey? Sure!" extravaganza. "Puns are your friends!" exhorted Cohen, articulating what may as well be an industry motto when it comes to promotions.