What if Jordan Had Succeeded at Baseball?

Would MLB see more players being marketedif Jordan had made it in baseball?If there is a glaring hole in MLB’s armor, it might well be its marketability. Sure, Derek Jeter has G2 athletic drink, Avon deodorant, and Gillette razors, but can that really compare to the marketability of players in the NBA, most notably LeBron James? With the MLBPA and Aramark opening a prototype store at Citi Field that focuses on player-only merchandise, Ken Belson of the New York Times posed the question: Is MLB marketing itself as well as it could be, compared to other leagues, most notably the NBA? (see Union to Open Ballpark Store to Promote Star Players) I immediately thought of Michael Jordan, and then Nike. As quoted in today’s edition of the New York Times: Baseball has lagged other professional sports in the promotion of its biggest stars, other industry analysts said, something the union is eager to correct.“We don’t have a Kobe or LeBron in baseball,” said Maury Brown, the president of t...