The Spidey That Came in From The Cold

Outrage swirled around major league baseball last week. Was it steroid engorged players? Profligate pricing policies around the ballparks? Pitchers committing attempted assault with a slider? No, furor grew out of the sport's leaders giving in to advertising greed for the upcoming "Spiderman 2".

In a multi-million dollar agreement baseball stadiums will be adorned with numerous insignia from the movie, but what really tore it for baseball purists was the idea that an advertisement would appear on the bases as well. This I had much curiosity about, because essentially the target demographic were positional
players and those hitters with a decent batting average who would reach base. (Derek Jeter probably won't hear about this movie.)

I love the idea of people talking about how advertising will somehow sully the game of baseball. Players even shook their heads at the owner's greed, while wearing free cleats from Nike, for which they receive a check. Explain how a sticker on the hot corner at Quaalcom Park during a Nextel "Call to the bullpen" following a "This Bud's for You!" home run which is being replayed on the Coca-Cola Jumbotron.

Things could have been even worse actually. One of the ideas proposed by Sony, (the company releasing the film) was to change the safety netting behind home plate into a spider's web with the logo present. Now that might have been cool. Sammy Sosa fouls one straight back and the ball sticks right there on the web, with a local actor in the Spidey costume who has to climb up and retrieve it. Now I guess we'll have to watch the game.