Wednesday, January 14, 2015

MLB Looking for Scene Creators

Yesterday, I talked about the idea of making baseball games a "social scene". I stated not all baseball games can be social events. But according to a recent MLB job posting, MLB Media is going to try.

MLB Advanced Media is looking for "Real-Time Correspondents" to capture the scene of every MLB game.
MLB is seeking a creative baseball enthusiast with a social media and editorial background to be our eyes and ears at the ballpark during the 2015 MLB season. This candidate will possess the ability to build compelling story lines at each game that captures behind-the-scenes content, memorable baseball moments, human-interest stories and anything that brings the excitement of the ballpark to life through video footage and photos, in real-time. The content provided must capture the essence and fun of the ballpark for those who may not there, while encouraging fan engagement.

The content will be used for MLB.com, Club.com MLB Social media platforms, Club social media platforms and cut4.com.

This would be a great position for a storyteller. While some might think lack of attendance would be a hindrance, it should foster creativity. Each game can be a different story, instead of the typical "look at all the people here" motif. A Rays correspondent could focus on Raymond for a game, for example. They could also create legends by focusing on individual fans and telling their story over months. Maybe once a week they could catch up with the same fan and get opinions and quotes.

Other ideas could include:
  • Parents bring a child to their first game
  • First dates
  • Parties
  • Focus on ushers
  • Food
  • Beer
  • Grounds crew
  • Rays tank folks

There are a lot of stories that happen at Tropicana Field every year. A good real-time correspondent could stay very busy. This stories happen in a scene. By exploring the untold stories, the MLB correspondent would give exposure to those who never had any. If you pull the right heartstring, people will relate. And the passion of the story may be contagious.

If I was a young anthropology or journalism student, I would jump on this. I wouldn't leave it to marketing or a mass communications student. I am curious who will apply and what stories will they tell.