Bases empty after Spidey is called out
Fans condemn logos touting Sony pic
|
An unexpected fan furor has erupted over Sony's plan to promote "Spider-Man 2" by placing the film's logo on in-field bases in 15 Major League ballparks during the weekend of June 11-13.
Sony now says it will remove the logos, which had drawn condemnation from fans.
"There's a certain part of the field that's hallowed ground," said Col marketing prexy Geoff Ammer, "and that's between the lines. The fans reacted in a way that we had no idea they would, and so we decided it best to respect their wishes."
Ammer noted that two online polls, one conducted by AOL, the other by ESPN, showed antipathy toward the bases-as-logos marketing effort at 71% and 81% against, respectively.
During "Spider-Man 2 Weekend," part of the 2004 Major League Baseball Interleague Play schedule, ballparks will still feature in-park and on-field Spider-Man signage. Each club will also feature special Spidey promotional events, including giveaways, and run highlights from "Spider-Man 2" on stadium video boards to promote the pic's June 30 release.
While the bases will now be logo-free, the rest of the planned events will proceed on schedule.
