We Need Fan Representation

Owners of the 30 Major League Baseball teams arrived in Arizona to begin two days of meetings in Paradise Valley at the Sanctuary resort. For the first time, the owners are opening their meetings up to others.

In this case, the General Managers for each of the teams have been invited to the owners' meetings so that they can get an understanding of the types of decisions facing management for the upcoming season and beyond.

The owners will met all day today to discuss items such as the ratification of the new five-year collective bargaining agreement with the Umpires Association. They will also discuss the sale of the Texas Rangers to a group which includes Hall of Fame pitcher and current team president Nolan Ryan.

Commissioner Bud Selig led the owners' meeting today and then will meet with representatives of his “special committee”, made up of representatives of ownership, General Managers, managers, and other dignitaries.

In the second meeting, Selig will be given a status of what these visionaries of the game feel needs to be addressed. When this special committee was announced, the representatives were told there were no “sacred cows”, meaning anything could be brought up and discussed.

A few of the subjects expected to be reviewed include flow of the game, the length of the post season, the use of instant replay, just to name a few. I will give commissioner Selig credit; this is a very progressive thinking idea that hopefully will allow those in the game to express their feelings on how to make the America's favorite pastime better.

The one thing that bothers me is that the fans do not seem to be represented at these meetings. It seems strange that baseball would ignore such an important point of view. Were it not for the fans attending the games, none of these meetings would be necessary.

With the economic downturn and the amount of disposable income available dwindling for each of us, where the fans will spend their money becomes an increasingly important decision. Major League Baseball should expect the growth of the industry to either level off, or perhaps decrease due to these trying times.

This situation is all the more reason why baseball should include representation of the fans in these discussions of how to make baseball a better product. I am not suggesting that these meetings be opened to the general public.

In fact, I am proposing that each of the teams should institute a fan council made up of a cross section of fans. For example, this council should include corporate sponsors, season ticket holders, and if possible, fans who go to just a few games per year.

These fan councils could be given the same instructions as the special committee: “How can we make baseball better?” The councils would then be asked to represent the needs of the fans for each team. Their suggestions and conclusions could then be consolidated to get an idea of what the fans want from baseball at a macro level.

Among the fan council members a small number of four to six would be chosen to represent the fans at the special committee meeting to present their suggestions to the owners, General Managers, and managers.

It is only by forming a partnership between players, owners, and fans that baseball will get a true grasp of the state of the game. Teams may think they know what the fans want, but without open dialogs, such as these fan councils, it is impossible to know for sure.

By including fan participation, Major League Baseball makes the fans part of the solution, as they feel a part of the process, rather than an outsider who watches as others change the game they love.