So Not Even a Likable MVP Could Pitch?

Even if Cal Ripken turns out to be the Most Valuable Player in the upcoming World Series, it’s far from certain that the modern-day Iron Man will score on Madison Avenue. Advertisers have been shying away from baseball players since 1994, the year that major league baseball went on strike. Game attendance this past summer rose by 7%, but fan support still lags pre-strike levels. But if an elite player such as Ripken wins the hearts of fans, “it would certainly catalyze the market,” said Nova Lanktree, of Lanktree Sports Celebrity Network.