With baseball season in full swing, many MLB teams want to hit a home run with fans on and off the field.
From viral mascots to pop-up experiences, the New York Mets are a team that has built engagement and community around its fandom — and another way they’re doing so is through an original unscripted series.
Inside the Diamond premiered last summer on the Mets’ official YouTube channel and featured day-in-the-life segments with players such as Francisco Lindor, Mark Vientos and Jett Williams. The second season premiered this month and expands the scope further.
For instance, the third episode puts the spotlight on rising players such as Carson Benge and Francisco Álvarez as the decisions for the Opening Day lineup are made, while the fourth and final episode of the season premieres this Friday.
Bobby Clemens, VP of creative content for the New York Mets, said when he developed the idea for the series, he wanted to give fans more access to the team beyond games, press conferences and highlights.
Clemens said behind-the-scenes shows such as HBO’s Hard Knocks were a major inspiration. As a lifelong Mets fan himself, Clemens said the conception came from what he wanted to see or know more about the team growing up.
He said the addition of new players gave them the opportunity to open up this season to storylines looking at roster battles and how relationships grow in training camp.
“We wanted to make sure fans felt like they’re part of the team,” Clemens told Campaign. “Going into this year, we wanted to tell their story more and have the Hard Knocks-style where we show spring training all the way up until Opening Day.”
(Photo credit: New York Mets, used with permission)
While many teams have struck partnerships with streaming services to develop original content, Clemens said the decision to release Inside the Diamond on YouTube felt more personal to fans. It also helps the team track first-party data of who’s watching and for how long to strengthen social media strategy and future storylines.
“When we drop on YouTube, we’re able to see what’s resonating with the fans and evolve the storytelling,” Clemens explained.
Clemens said being on YouTube has also opened up opportunities for brand partnerships and advertisers that provide long-term value. Some partners have signed up to be involved anywhere from a few episodes to a few years, he said. This season has one brand partner every episode, with accounting, tax and advisory firm Anchin as a presenting partner.
“Anchin has been an incredible partner,” Clemens said. “They have become part of the environment and understand what we’re trying to do and have become additive rather than disruptive or take away from any storylines.”
Clemens said for teams or brands developing original content, being authentic is the most important thing to remember.
“Fans can tell when something is overproduced or when something is real or fake,” Clemens noted. “The stories tell themselves as you’re filming.”
Clemons emphasized that while views are essential, building that emotional connection with fans should always be the priority.
“What that does is it translates into stronger visual engagement, stronger brand affinity and more of a desire for the fan to be part of the experience whether they’re watching it on Inside the Diamond or at a game in person,” Clemens said. “We want to give fans something they can be proud of, be proud of this team and get to know who this team is. The team wants to win just as much as the fans.”