Major League Baseball Marketing Strategies and Industry Promotion Approaches

Abstract

The sport of baseball is one of the chief pillars of the American sports industry. Major League Baseball (MLB) is the oldest professional sports league in the United States. It has long since formulated comprehensive marketing strategies and global industry promotion approaches that have proved exceptionally successful. Accordingly, the study of MLB's marketing strategies and industry promotion approaches will be crucial for the development of baseball in China and the establishment of an industrial chain. This study employed the literature consultation method, the comparative analysis method, and the inductive method to analyze MLB's localized marketing strategies and development trends in China and obtained the following insights concerning MLB's promotion and industry development efforts in China: (1) MLB has used a “family sport” concept to promote baseball culture and employed a project culture approach to promoting the universal spread of the sport of baseball; (2) MLB has sought to join baseball with school sports as a means of developing baseball talent; (3) MLB has promoted its brand, established a baseball industry chain, and engaged in comprehensive market cultivation; and (4) MLB has strengthened baseball infrastructure and encouraged baseball's rapid development.