 
06/19/2003 4:05 PM ET
MLB, FOX declare "This Time It Counts" with All-Star marketing campaign
Jointly used TV commercial spearheads the MLB unified marketing initiative for the 2003 Midsummer Classic
In the effort to promote awareness and viewership for the 2003 MLB All-Star Game, Major League Baseball and FOX Sports have joined to create a multi-faceted marketing campaign entitled "This Time It Counts." The tagline created by MLB and the broadcast commercial created by FOX Sports are both designed to remind viewers that, for the first time in history, the outcome of the All-Star Game will determine which League has home-field advantage in the World Series, giving the All-Star Game a direct impact on the Major League Baseball postseason.
"This Time It Counts" will be a unified marketing campaign driven by each of the business units within Major League Baseball Properties utilizing assets from FOX Sports, Major League Baseball business partners and each of the 30 MLB Clubs. The campaign, which is being rolled out throughout the month of June, will culminate with the Major League Baseball All-Star Game on Tuesday, July 15 at U.S. Cellular Field in Chicago.
"Major League Baseball made a historic decision to change the format of the All-Star Game and give the winning League home-field advantage in the World Series," said Tim Brosnan, Executive Vice President, Business, Major League Baseball. "'This Time It Counts' was developed to insure that all of our fans are aware of the new postseason implications of the All-Star Game and to drive viewership of the 2003 All-Star Game on FOX."
"We believe that the unique concept of this year's All-Star Game, coupled with this unprecedented campaign that accesses multiple platforms of both FOX Sports and Major League Baseball, will resonate with viewers that this year's All-Star Game is a must watch," said Neal Tiles, Executive Vice President of Marketing, FOX Sports.
The centerpiece of the campaign is the FOX Sports "This Time It Counts" tune-in spot. Created in-house by FOX Sports, the spot will run in all Major League Baseball FOX Saturday Game of the Week telecasts through Saturday, July 12 and FOX will run the spot in non-baseball media for the two days prior to July 15. The tune-in spot will be utilized by Major League Baseball in national asset media and in programming such as "This Week in Baseball" and MLB International's "Sabor a Béisbol" program. The spot also will air during game telecasts distributed by Major League Baseball International around the globe.
Major League Baseball also has developed special "This Time It Counts" promotional radio spots that will air during the Sunday Night Baseball Game of the Week broadcasts on ESPN Radio as well as on club radio broadcasts.
Each of the business units within Major League Baseball Properties has focused their marketing efforts for the Midsummer Classic on supporting the This Time It Counts initiative and more specific information on the efforts of each business unit will follow this announcement. The 2003 MLB All-Star Game will be played on July 15 at U.S. Cellular Field in Chicago, and will be televised live in the United States on FOX Sports and around the world by MLB International.
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