Navigation: Jump to content areas:


Pro Quality. Fan Perspective.
Login-facebook
Around SBN: Super Bowl Recipes: A Guide To The Perfect Game Day Menu

A's marketing slights Eric Byrnes

From the Oakland A's advertising supplement in today's West County Times:

"A Versatile Outfield

The addition of Charles Thomas from Atlanta, coupled with the presence of rookie Nick Swisher, gives the A's a versatile outfield.  Mark Kotsay returns in center, and even though Bobby Kielty is coming off a down year, he figures in the mix, too.  The most likely configuration is Swisher in right, Kotsay in center and Byrnes in left, but there are no guarantees."

Then yada yada five paragraphs about the anointed young prince of the outfield and then one more about Thomas.

Hey, A's marketing.  Byrnes has a first name--Eric.  Try using it.  Byrnes had a career year in 2004; try mentioning that.

And hey, A's marketing.  Were none of you at fan fest?  Did you not hear Eric Byrnes get the loudest applause on his introduction?  Did you not notice that he got the most questions?  When Byrnes teased Kotsay about his having to stand in for Mark in the autograph session and Mark replied that judging from Eric's reception at his introduction, the fans would rather have had more Byrnes, Kotsay was spot on.  

A's marketing, you have an established star in the outfield.  His name is Eric Byrnes.  No matter what the know-it-alls on this board will say, the truth is that he has a more passionate fan base then any of the other outfielders.  You hope that Swisher will be there some day, but little Nicky still has a long way to go before he draws the fans in.  Eric Byrnes is already there.  Why play up the Thomas-is like-Byrnes angle, when you have the original in the outfield?  Billy Beane gets cornered by fans all asking him NOT to trade Eric.  Hell, my whole family wears the orange and black, and they know who Byrnes is.

Yet, how many commercials will Byrnes be in?  In how many adds will he be featured?  When is A's marketing going to get a clue.  When you disrespect Eric Byrnes this way, you're disrespecting the fans.

Comment 12 comments  |  0 recs  | 

Do you like this story?

Comments

Display:

why waste the dollars...
if he gets traded, all those ads and promos would be for bunk...

by pseudokiwi on Mar 29, 2005 7:51 AM PST reply actions  

Yeah
I think the reason is also the risk of making comercials with him only to be traded.
"I'm good because I ground out to second a lot!" ~ Darin Erstad

by Zonis on Mar 29, 2005 8:11 AM PST reply actions  

Three Stooge Rep
Yep, given the enduring reputation of the Three Stooges, the A's ad could cite Byrnes as a rep of the trio, showing his comedic failure to touch home plate in the biggest game of his life.

Another ad could show Byrnes' flightpath to a routine fly ball.

And Byrnesy could do a commercial as the posterboy for ADD.

Truly, as the fans know fullwell, Eric brings lotsa yucks to the ole ballyard...

by reztips on Mar 29, 2005 8:36 AM PST reply actions  

Interestingly,
when I got my season tickets, I noticed that there are pictures of four players on the tix: Crosby, Kotsay, Chavez and Harden.

Who does that leave out? Zito, of course, who is by far the most famous and accomplished member of the A's.

by jrbh on Mar 29, 2005 10:30 AM PST reply actions  

Zito's picture...
wasn't on the season tickets for the same reason Byrnes isn't in the current marketing.  All of the guys on the tickets are going to be with the team, at least, for the remainder of this year.  
Zito and Byrnes have no such guaranty.
"I'm my biggest fan ..." Eric Byrnes

by FoolshGame22 on Mar 29, 2005 10:40 AM PST up reply actions  

I'm waiting
for them to update the wallpaper selections in the Fan Forum.  They've still got Mulder and Hudson as two of the choices.  
Visit the beautiful Napa Valley, home of many Oakland A's fans.

by kkdaz on Mar 29, 2005 10:43 AM PST reply actions  

Outdated posters
They still sell posters of Tejada as a member of the A's at posters.com
"I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE'RE YELLING ABOUT!!!" -Brick Tamland, Anchorman

by secret ASian man on Mar 29, 2005 12:29 PM PST up reply actions  

Brynes being treated like Scutaro
I agree- both Byrnes and Scutaro are being treated poorly by the team. Both performed well last year and now it's like they are just extra baggage we can't wait to get rid of.  Not the kind of behavior this team needs to exhibit.
The greenmachine

by greenmachine on Mar 29, 2005 12:16 PM PST reply actions  

Huh?
I am one of the biggest Byrnes fans around and I would like to see Scutaro make the team, but to imply that either player has been treated poorly by the A's is ridiculous.

At this level baseball is a business and anyone who cannot recognize that needs to grow up. I think Byrnes will likely stay with the club all season unless they really go downhill.

Byrnes doesn't need to be marketed by the A's. Any real A's fan knows about him as does the rest of major league baseball.

by RudiFan on Mar 29, 2005 3:12 PM PST reply actions  

Marketing Byrnes
would help the A's attendance goals.  Advertising is aimed at those who are not members of AN, the people who don't know who Byrnes is.  Spot lighting Byrnes would help get them into the seats.  But then, A's marketing has always been short-sighted.

by Just Me on Mar 29, 2005 3:34 PM PST up reply actions  

dont get mad
but I've always thought byrnes was one of the guys that takes way too much speed before the game. . . and I'm serious about this, I think he takes amphetamines (baseball speak "greenies") before the game. . . he just doesnt look natural out there, every time I see him take a wack route to the ball I think it's cause of the speed.

by kotsbots on Mar 29, 2005 7:21 PM PST reply actions  

Comments For This Post Are Closed


User Tools

Welcome to the SB Nation blog about Oakland Athletics.

Community Guidelines ANcillary Terms

FanPosts

Community blog posts and discussion.

Recommended FanPosts

Img_2672_small
Long-Term Outlook
Img_1877_small
DLD 1/30/12 - fANfest!
Aperture_logo_small
Community Prospect List #2
Img_3830_small
2012 Projected Standings (via Clay Davenport)
Bunkieottonekarung_fw07_small
DLD 1/23 - Positivity

Recent FanPosts

Cimg3825_small
The Closer Battle Between T-Rex and The Mad Aussie
Small
Rich Harden to the bullpen?
Small
The 5MM club.
Logos_small
Oakland kills Victory Court
Patpicturebucky2_small
Photos: 2012 A's Fanfest
Small
Players On Loan
Aoakland_a_s_05_small
12 Things We Learned About the 2012 A's From FanFest
Flyers_small
Isn't Manny a big waste of $$$?

+ New FanPost All FanPosts >


Front Page Writers

Maya_papi_small Tyler Bleszinski

08-_the_author_small 67MARQUEZ

Josefav2_small danmerqury

Baseball_small baseballgirl

Poochini-butt_in_box_2_small Nico

Img_0653_small dwishinsky

Front Page Writers

Smiley_face_small gigglingone

Venasfans_small OaklandSi

60-minutes-clock_small cuppingmaster

Patpicturebucky2_small YonYonson

Img_3830_small David Fung

Moderators

Photofunia-5c770b_small coffee roaster

Denver_small Colorado Fan

Ls_logo100_small LoneStranger

Thumbs_up_small LongTimeFan

Marty_profile_in_green_small mrod

Img_1877_small Billy Frijoles

Babycomputergeek_small paris7

Img_0115_small Tutu-late