Manfred: MLB Aims for More National Strategy

At CNBC x Boardroom 's Game Plan sports business event earlier this week, Major League Baseball (MLB) Commissioner Rob Manfred spoke to some efforts that the?league is taking to maximize its value and that of its players.

Joining two of the game's biggest stars at the plate and on the mound, Manfred spoke alongside Albert Pujols and CC Sabathia about Major League Baseball's focus on?maximizing?the brand of its stars and showcasing their talents on a more national platform. The league's structure has been driven largely by the regional sports networks carrying a large share of its games, but Manfred recognizes the need to bring the game to as many fans as possible.

“We need a more national strategy,” Manfred told CNBC’s Scott Wapner . “We’re blessed with a huge amount of content: 2,430 games. Because of the amount of content, I think there will be some local component, but I think the strategy needs to be more national and our reach needs to be more national.”

Sabathia, Pujols and Manfred agree: Major League Baseball boasts plenty of star power. The next step, they acknowledge, is marketing that star power, specifically that of the game's top starting pitchers. Rule changes — like larger bases and limits on?pickoff attempts?—?have led to surges in offense, often forcing managers to turn to their bullpens earlier in games. That, in turn, limits the “pitching duels” that kept fans on the edges of their seats until just a few years ago, reducing their?exposure to the game's top aces.

“I think it's a great thing that the Commissioner has done,” Pujols said in regard to the changes that have led to increased engagement. “What I love about the Commissioner is that he's open to continuing to grow the game and to make it better.”

“I don’t know if it’s more stars because I think we have stars,” Sabathia said. “I think we have [Aaron] Judge, we have [Shohei] Ohtani, We have [Juan] Soto. It’s star pitchers, it’s starting pitchers.”

The panelists also recognized the need to diversify MLB's audience, especially in the wake of the league's decision to recognize statistics from the Negro Leagues alongside those of its own players. The league anticipates creating greater engagement with underserved communities to attract both players and fans across demographics.

Nashville offers an audience like few cities in the nation can claim. The Nashville Stars Baseball Club name represents an important part of our nation’s past, but will also offer an opportunity to maximize the exposure of today’s stars across Major League Baseball.