Cincinnati Reds attempt to monetize Pete Rose while they can

The Cincinnati Reds are bringing the hit king to their annual Reds Fest to raise money for the statue they already promised him.

Sometimes it appears that the Cincinnati Reds walked across the Banks and knocked on Mike Brown’s door to get suggestions on how to be cheap with fans.  Usually, the way the two teams carry themselves is night and day.  First of all the Reds are inviting Pete Rose to their annual fan fest to make them money and then they can honor him.

It’s just out of order.  First of all, you tell someone that you want to honor them.  Then you build a statue and bring them in to see it.  Finally, you show them the statue and say thanks.

Yet nowhere in the above paragraph is “ask the guest of honor to shill for the money.”  Why would an MLB team do something that looks so cheap?  What is happening?

When did the hit king become the shill king?  Rose is the king of moving merch from his Cooperstown set-up alone.  That doesn’t justify the Reds stance here.

Call to the Pen

Initially, they were supposedly celebrating Rose every chance that they got.  Seems like that story was feel good.  Now they have removed any pretext and are telling fans to pony up if they want to see a nice statue.

Aside from the over commercialization of the whole ordeal, the Cincinnati Reds have a cool idea for Rose.

Coming off the soapbox, what Rose is doing is pretty cool.  He is signing one baseball for each of his record setting 4,256 to sell at the event.  This limited edition has a cool reference.

It’s also great for fans to be able to listen to Rose chat.  He will have a session on each of the two days of the event.

He finally deserves in that regard to be the king that he is.

More interesting is that this is Rose’s first foray into Reds Fest.  When it became something bigger than the off-season caravan, Rose was already out of baseball.  Now he has a chance to see what baseball in the new millennium is really like.

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When the event runs December 2nd and 3rd at Cincinnati’s convention center, fans will flock to see Pete.  The convention center has held the fest for several years with great feedback.  Hopefully, the Reds can take a step back from some of this commercialization so that the fans can really enjoy remembering Peter Edward Rose.