• by Wayne Friedman , March 29, 2023

Showing off the unique aspects of the sport, a new Major League Baseball brand campaign titled “Baseball Is Something Else” reveals the elements and the intricacies of the game -- everything from the players' batting practice to field preparations and how fans eat hot dogs.

The campaign from Wieden+Kennedy -- the league’s new agency of record -- will run across broadcast and cable TV networks, digital media and virtual pay TV providers, as well in ballparks and out-of-home platforms.

The centerpiece of the campaign features a one-minute commercial of video slices that show fans getting their tickets scanned on their mobile phones, baseballs and bats placed; players' exercise preparation and flags unfolded -- all as vocalists offscreen perform an a cappella version of Rossini's "William Tell Overture."

The campaign also features fans catching home-run balls in batting practice, fans giving high fives to players, and celebrities and other people throwing out the first pitches.

Other more player- and celebrity-centric short-form videos will feature MLB star players -- Tim Anderson, Nestor Cortes, Blake Snell, Jose Trevino, Daniel Vogelbach and Joey Votto, as well as entertainers Bryan Cranston and Sebastian Maniscalco. All will debut on social-media platforms.

Another spot, called “62,” features New York Yankees star Aaron Judge's record-breaking season a year ago when he scored 62 home runs, besting Yankees Roger Maris, with the 61-home-run mark set in 1961.

New rules will be introduced this season to speed up the game, including a pitch timer, defensive shift limits and bigger bases.

During spring-training games this season, the league says the new rules shorten the average game by 26 minutes versus spring-training games a year ago. There was more action as well, including more average stolen bases -- 1.8 per game versus 1.1 per game.

A year ago, national TV games on ten different networks pulled in an estimated $385.7 million in advertising revenue and 26.4 billion impressions, according to iSpot.tv.

Opening day for Major League Baseball begins March 30, with 15 games featuring all 30 MLB teams.