MLB launches largest postseason marketing campaign ever at the 2007 All-Star Game

For the
first time ever, Major League Baseball (MLB) will launch its postseason marketing
campaign in July, during the national broadcast of the 2007 Major League
Baseball All-Star Game, July 10th live from
AT&T

Park in

San Francisco. The July date will mark the
earliest launch ever for a postseason MLB campaign. The campaign, entitled
“There’s Only One October,” and featuring actor/comedian Dane Cook
will highlight some of baseball’s memorable postseason moments, while
showcasing today’s teams and most promising players in their quest for October
greatness. The TV spots will provide a timely narrative of key stories which
unfold during the regular season and their impact on shaping the 2007
postseason.

Also
marking a first in 2007, Major League Baseball and its postseason broadcast
partners, FOX and TBS, will work in collaboration on a postseason marketing
campaign. FOX and TBS will run “There’s Only One October” spots
tailored to each of their network brands. The campaign will be supported by an
extensive online and television schedule, both in-game and out-of-game,
including CNN, ESPN, FX and TNT. Print advertisements will include Sports
Illustrated and USA Today. Radio spots will air in select major markets
including on XM Satellite Radio and ESPN Radio.

“The
Major League Baseball All-Star Game is the premier television and sporting
event of the summer. The start of our ‘There’s Only One October’ campaign
leverages this huge All-Star week audience and points them to our pay off
month,” said Tim Brosnan, Executive Vice President, Business, Major League
Baseball. “Combining Dane Cook’s talent, the video sharing components, and
the depth of our broadcast partners’ commitments to the campaign makes it our
largest and most unique effort ever.”

The 2007
postseason marketing campaign is being supported through numerous MLB assets
including the launch of “actober.com.” Powered by MLB.com, the
official website of Major League Baseball, actober.com will be the first user
generated content website produced by a major professional sports league. The
site will give fans access to the largest archive of MLB footage in the world
and will host over sixty clips of historical postseason baseball footage. Fans
can utilize the vintage footage to create their own actober moments and win
tickets to the 2007 World Series. Among the October “moments”
featured on the site are classics such as Willie Mays’ catch in the 1954 World
Series, Kirk Gibson’s dramatic walk-off home run in the 1988 World Series and
Curt Schilling’s bloody sock in Game 6 of the 2004 ALCS. Celebrities signed on
to showcase their own actober.com moments include Kate Mara, William Peterson
and Ellen Pompeo, with others expected to be added on a regular basis.

Evidencing
the interactivity of the campaign, MLB will be continually soliciting input
from fans through its online advisory fan panel. Fans will have the chance to
tell MLB the moments they think should be featured in the advertising.

The
television spots created by McCann Erickson with the support of MLB Productions
will also be distributed to all of Major League Baseball’s international
broadcast partners in English speaking countries as well as locally within
broadcasts of the 30 MLB Clubs.

Dane Cook
is best known for being one of the most popular stand-up comedians in the
country, recently selling out an unprecedented two shows in one night at
Boston’s TD Banknorth Garden and
New
York’s

Madison

Square
Garden.
Cook has sold more than 3 million CD’s and DVD’s to date. Additionally, Cook is
an accomplished actor and can been seen in the dramatic film “Mr. Brooks,”
with Academy Award winner Kevin Costner, as well as in the upcoming comedy
features “Good Luck Chuck” with Jessica Alba and “Dan In Real
Life” with Steve Carell.