MWBL reporting of games.

[perfeckt]

As a critic of what I consider to be the lacklustre reporting of league games by the MWBL, I offer some suggestions to the leagues participants.

Can a member of your club find the time to call the media officer and give a general rundown of the game. You know stuff like, Jack hit a bomb, their pitchers were all over us, our defence really saved our a***s, it's early days and the ever faithful...one game at a time.
Info like, Frank is recovering from a bout of mad cow disease but should be OK for next week etc. etc.

Let's personalise the game. thereby making it more attractive to new-comers and old-timers alike.
Get rid of the ego constraints of the perceived unwritten rules of conduct, i.e. too cool, don't brag etc.
Let's put some fire and spit into the conversation.

You know, for years I have checked a variety of club reports of game play that were specific to their club and I've gained an understanding about how free the authors feel when writing about their own clubs players in a game and this is a good thing.
After checking one clubs reporting I have often checked their opponents web-site to see how they saw the game.

What I'm getting at is that no one has the time to write out an analysis in quick time to keep the MWBL's meagre resources able to post timely reports of what has just happened. However, I think with this kind of dialogue via modern communication there could well be a voice recording protocol that would assist the MWBL in attaining not just hard and cold facts to report but some colour and life to their reporting. That goes for every level of the league.
Surely that would help.

My suggestion is to smother the MWBL with choices. I believe that their primary focus should be on their premier league but I would also like to hear about the U15's, the winter women?, whoever! That stuff can't be reported, of course, if they are not provided grist for the mill.

I would also call upon the MWBL to not disregard the information that is available and to actively encourage members of it's league to ring in with their stories. Record them and then sift to prioritise but preferably speak to each other on the telephone.
Even forget your ego and check in with this very Victorian forum which has continued to reliably provide scores and chatter than anywhere else.
Utilise it, don't shun it.
Maybe there might be a way for clubs to foster young writers within their ranks. You know, like paying them for a season to do so and encourage them to do so. Maybe Vic' Baseball could start a statewide program for cub reporters.

I understand that the MWBL media department has 'The Power of One' but the MWBL cannot continue to hide under the skirts of scant resources from Baseball Vic' and excuse themselves from the winter league's progress and allow it to stagnate. People pay good money to play a game largely supported by volunteers.

Yesterdays news used to be referred to as todays chip wrappers.

Todays news is now...so 5 minutes ago.

This rant/call to arms was brought to you by a little bit of arak and lemon juice.

Selamat tidur.

[beaverball]

AS usual Mr. Perfectk, the common sense approach not easily understood by the powers of admin.
Geez, you bring back memories about having F & C wrapped in the old Sporting Globe coming home from that catholic
school in Mentone.....Our Lady of the Bleeding Strap.
Didn't say they were good memories.
Sixpence worth of chips with vinegar on the train....to die for!
That profile of you, that Bali weather making you look like Charlie Brown by the day, however as the Wizard from Emerald says " People in Glass Houses shouldn't Eat Donuts ".


Cheers to you Bintang.
Beaver.

[Deleted]

perfeckt, I would not call your comments a rant. Not at all. They reflect a reasonable call made by a concerned baseball person and they express a practical set of suggestions that could be adopted by our state and even national governing body.

However, though I could be wrong, I doubt that anything is likely to change – even if you shouted your concerns at certain quarters via megaphone.

I could stand corrected, but I doubt that BV has anything to do with MWBL reporting, in funding or any other terms related to administration of the league. To its credit, MWBL a few years ago decided that it really should be doing more to provide baseball coverage for the largest winter baseball league in the land. So it set aside an amount of dollars to pay a person - in this case Sally Heppleston. I believe that payment is something in the order of 100 to 125 bucks per article.

While the financial commitment was an admirable step for the league to take, I have never agreed with the strategy of a per-article payment. I would have far preferred the league to appoint a qualified, experienced baseball media person who would make a full-on commitment to the league and to the winter season – a commitment that would be remunerated in some modest way but that would require far greater input than knocking up a weekly column or two in their spare time.

For much of the past couple of seasons, Sally has seemed to do a decent enough job. Her articles have regularly appeared in Leader newspapers and it is certainly not her fault that the league has often been tardy in posting her weekly reports. Maybe some thought should be given to her having direct access to the MWBL website. Maybe part of her brief should be to post articles and features in a timely manner online - and also to arrange for photographic material to be included.

I have no idea what qualifications Sally has in media and communications, although I would certainly like to see a person in her position liaising closely with clubs and working with them on identifying or helping train people to take on media roles over time. That proposition has been put to Baseball Victoria frequently over the past ten years of which I am aware. It seems to have not led to very much, if the demonstrably minimal output of its Communications Coordinator is any guide.

Coverage of mainstream baseball has been undervalued by administrators for as long as I can remember. There has always been some odd expectation that the mainstream media will come knocking and take the task off our hands. It won’t, certainly for as long as the sport refuses to put its own house in order by allocating funds and resources to consistent, reliable and sensible reporting of the sport through our own channels – IE websites, publications and social media.

Australian baseball needs to take ownership of its media responsibilities. We are an amateur sport largely paid for by the participants, who all deserve much better than what we are being served up. It is a sad indictment on governing bodies that the most timely, the most knowledgeable and the most colourful reporting of the game – in Victoria, at least – takes place on some of our club websites and through social media, especially Facebook.

While this Forum has largely passed its use-by date, it has been a wonderful source of news and information for baseball people, whether or not they are prepared to admit that. It remains a real pity that baseball administrators did not choose to embrace the service early on, instead of going on the defensive and withdrawing into their largely self-serving empty shell of pusillanimity.

In saying that, credit should be given where it is due. Hopeless in the communications area for so long, Baseball Australia has shown that it can lift its game immeasurably when it so chooses. Its coverage of major events is so much better these days, and it showed what could be achieved – with effort – during the recent Australian Senior League Championship. That coverage was the standard to which we should always aspire and seek to build upon.

[perfeckt]

I absolutely agree with you kc. Your continuing reference to the possible demise of this forum is both understandable and concerning. It will be a sad day if it is no longer an informative venue and forum for discussion, dissent and suggestion. Whacky or discerning, vitriolic or placating, I for one would sorely miss it.
Pay per article is a flawed and disrespectful model for reporting. The only one qualified to edit a story is another journo or writer. Not an admin' person with an agenda based on a misconceived notion of protecting a brand that does not have a high enough profile to be tarnished and that's that.
Tarnish it, make NOISE, something,
As kc tried to encourage, for years, get the info in to your league or club, along with photo's and anecdotes or simply forward what you write about your club on its website as an auto cc to BV and your league and let the fly-balls fall where they may.

[wyatt33]

Again I understand what perfekt is saying but it's doesn't matter if there's no one in the office to do the job. We(Mulgrave) had a very good meeting with Ashleigh at bv a couple of weeks ago, and I was flabbergasted at the state of the office they're working in. They share it with darts vic and maybe lacrosse or something. Let's just say it's not what people think . And it's also representative of the people that are working there. Massively under funded and staffed, and really I don't think they are capable of running the game, and then being asked to report on it at every convenience. If it meant that we'd be charged even more per team to fund another staffer to write articles, I'd rather do it gratis.

[Deleted]

While not directly applicable to MWBL, appointment of a quality person to the position now advertised by Baseball Victoria (below) has potential for a direct and positive influence on the areas discussed in this thread.

Well done to BV on recognising just how important the communications role is, especially in the digital age. Hopefully the conditions and remuneration will be appropriate to the demands and responsibilities of what should be a really exciting opportunity for the right person.

www.baseballvictoria.com.au/News-Events/communications-digital-marketing-coordinator-position-available

[perfeckt]

May 24, 2016 20:39:47 GMT 10 kc said:

While not directly applicable to MWBL, appointment of a quality person to the position now advertised by Baseball Victoria (below) has potential for a direct and positive influence on the areas discussed in this thread.

Well done to BV on recognising just how important the communications role is, especially in the digital age. Hopefully the conditions and remuneration will be appropriate to the demands and responsibilities of what should be a really exciting opportunity for the right person.

www.baseballvictoria.com.au/News-Events/communications-digital-marketing-coordinator-position-available

That's gunna take a hell of a right person kc. 2 years experience?

At least the full time job offer is a start. As long as the position doesn't require them to mark the diamond for Aces home games.

[perfeckt]

I don't suppose there is any threat of updated game reports from the good folk of MWBL?
The last reports of games were posted by MWBL on the 20th of July about Round 14 which was played on the 16/7/16.

Whatever the reason or reasons for this lack of engagement one thing is clear, It isn't working.
It doesn't require any more criticism (hasn't worked so far) but it certainly needs a re-think on how to report in a timely manner the games being played.

Time to think outside of the box MWBL.

"No idea for a story is too far fetched. If it's baseball and it's news, at the very least it can be displayed to the baseball community through the league website". MWBL website Media Officer page. 2016.

[wyatt33]

We at rebel nation have decided to dump our website and purely go with our Facebook page as a means of communicating with the population. We are constantly updating info for our followers and those followers are sharing the info with their friend. It is easy to control, we don't have to pay a fee to upkeep the website and we have total control! We're also expanding to Instagram and Twitter, something bv could definitely use better to the spread the word for local baseball. My daughter is going to control our Instagram page, and she's 12! We'll probably add a snapchat page too. All this we believe is what we need to convey our info, and the younger folk seem more likely to respond to those forums than a basic website. So that's that

[perfeckt]

MWBL News page. September 1, 2016.

"Super Saturday Grand Final Weekend".

This is the preview of the A Grade GF in total, word for word.

"The A Grade Final see's the North Balwyn BC, who have been improving over the past few years and threatening to win through to the Big One for (sic) take on Heathmont BC, who have a fixture in finals in the past few years. North Balwyn BC have won the past 2 encounters against Heathmont BC, and got over the line by 1 run in an exciting A reserve Grand Final last week."

That's it. Really?
This report was un-credited. Not surprising.
Smashed out in about 30 seconds I reckon.

??

[perfeckt]

MWBL season 2016 done and dusted.
?

[perfeckt]

MWBL?? GF 2016 reports? Anyone there?

I see a Sally Heppleston report in the Leader (East) titled "Heathmont slugs its way to title" was published "September 6, 2016 8a.m. but still no mention, acknowledgement or report on MWBL's homepage. Their final hurrah for the season??

Still can't find a link on BV's website to indicate that the MWBL even exists let alone provide a link or, heaven forbid, make mention of Grand Finals that have been run and won.

MWBL??

Time and game.

[perfeckt]

If a tree fell in a forest and no-one was there to hear it..........................?

[legga27]

First time back for more than 2 years....I wonder why!
At the start of each season the MWBL board asks all clubs at the Pres & Sec meeting to send us news stories, interest articles, club related stories, contact the media officer with anything that they have....we have done this for 5 years, this year we received 2. Our media officer quite regularly advises that she is waiting on a call from a coach, president, member of a club for comments on games, but has to submit with no response. The MWBL website is managed by a volunteer, the media officer is paid and this comes straight from club derived funds. As for the GF, this is my fault as I haven't updated the website...hope you saw the write up in the leader this week, half a page......

[perfeckt]

I hear your pain legga27 but I must ask the question, what is the role of the 'Media Officer' employed by MWBL and how are they/him/her recompensed for their duties? The reporting of games and about the League that make it to the Leader group of newspapers are intrinsically a different way of reporting to the home website. Obviously, by necessity, the reporting for the newspapers and e-news must be brief and equally obvious is that the reporting to the League's website should have more depth to it.
The report that was written for the media was fine but lacked the depth that I believe could have been included. To simply take that report and use it on the MWBL website as the seasons final and lasting hurrah for the A Grade season 2016 has done a disservice to the League, it's players, supporters and volunteers.
Heathmont beat Research to make it to the GF? No mention that the Roadrunners were defending League Champs from 2016.
"It's a good feeling." quote. Umm yeah.
No real game play reporting that indicates that the reporter wasn't even at the G.F.
In my humble opinion a reporters role is to find and report the job that they are tasked with, though disappointing to read that only two stories were submitted, surely it shouldn't be blamed solely on phone calls not returned to the lack of detail. Call back, chase the story.
I realise that it's a money thing and that's why I ask the question, what is the role of the 'Media Officer'?
If coaches and managers of teams can make time to comment on this forum along with reports from other winter leagues in Victoria then why cannot that information find its way onto the MWBL?
The other question I would respectfully ask is, where do all the fees that are paid by clubs and players go that leave such an under resourced office such as the MWBL?

Your's Sincerely,

Perfeckt.

p.s.

2 years away from this forum?
That's kind of a telling statement.

[perfeckt]

Crickets....................................

I hope someone remembered to turn off the light.

[coyote]

Perfeckt - maybe come back and review in 2 years.
Possibly when they'll check the forum again

[johne]

baseball jobs overseas run a good story on the final.

www.baseballjobsoverseas.com/2016/09/13/ibc-member-nate-harris-leads-heathmont-to-4th-melbourne-winter-league-championship-in-5-years/

[Dan]

Slightly unrelated, but didn't want to start an entire thread for what may be a simple answer.

Wanted to check something on the MWBL website (mwbl.com.au) but found it was locked down.

Maybe I've just never noticed it being offline over summer before, but is that normal? If so, why??

[Deleted]

Same response here with the 401 error, dan ("Authorisation required").

I doubt that the site goes into hibernation over summer.

You could try the workaround below, or maybe someone from the MWBL can help out.

support.microsoft.com/en-au/kb/902160

[Dan]

Cheers KC.

I know it's not an issue at my end, I've tried it on several different computers/phones/tablets at home, work etc and it def not me.

I'm not overly concerned, was just curious. Maybe they are updating or sprucing it up over the off season. Or maybe it's been hacked and they have no clue it has. Could be anything really.