MLB & Barstool Sports: The Right Partnership?

How it affects the Mariners

The impact of this potential partnership between Barstool Sports and MLB would be felt by the Mariners fanbase, but the impact would be less than fans of a team like the Washington Nationals. We’ll first address the sports betting aspect. Recent legislation has been passed to allow sports betting to take place only within tribal casinos.

(FYI – Snoqualmie Casino is the easiest to get to from Seattle, I’ve already checked), but mobile/remote sports betting has yet to be approved. This means the sports betting aspect of this potential partnership doesn’t have an impact like it would in Washington, DC, where mobile sports betting is legal.

Where Mariners fans might look to see how the organization handles this partnership is through the new President of Baseball Operations, Catie Griggs. We’re all familiar with former President of Baseball Operations Kevin Mather’s speech to the Bellevue Rotary Club, so I’d assume the fanbase here in Seattle would look to Griggs to provide a vocal stance on this issue as it pertains to the female fanbase.

As previously discussed, Barstool Sports has encountered numerous issues of sexual harassment and misogyny (here’s what was posted regarding the ball girl that tackled the fan running across the field). It’s safe to assume the Seattle fanbase would look to Griggs to vocalize the broader concern about the league’s partnership with an organization linked to such issues.

I think the argument she could make is clear-cut: there are smarter, easier ways to accomplish what the league wants without running the risk of alienating or damaging an ever-growing demographic of baseball fans. Baseball is already struggling with attendance at games – why take a chance at losing fans with such a potentially polarizing move.