Ad Space in the Outfield

The little leaguers won’t be the only ones pitching at Gero Park fields this summer. Advertisers will get their chance as well. Like the big leagues, the four fields at Gero Park will be open to advertising – within reason and town limits.

To offset the costs associated with running Millburn Short Hills Youth Baseball, the league went to the recreation commission and the town committee to seek approval for temporary ads in the outfields of the ballparks.

“It will feel more like a big league ball park,” said Tom Favia, president of the league.  

The league hopes advertising will help pay for things like grounds keeping and the dugout overhaul project and eventually will help either reduce the fees parents have to pay or at least ensure that they don’t go up, he said.

Recreation Director Bob Hogan said the commission and the town committee agreed to limit the size (no bigger than four feet by six feet) and the number of signs at each field, as well as prohibit any advertising of alcohol or tobacco products. The signs must be appropriate for children and can only be in the outfield, facing inward, he said. In addition, the signs can be up only from March through August, and the league will have to apply each year.

“It’s common across the state,” Hogan said. “We’re trying to preserve the beauty of the parks, but at the same time the league maintains the fields and they’re trying to keep their costs down.”

Concerned that allowing advertising in the ball field could lead to a spread of advertising by other teams throughout public parks in town, Township Committee member Jim Suell voted against the resolution. But other members said they saw the economic benefit to the organization and to parents during a rough spot in the economy.

“Unfortunately, it’s not an absolutely wonderful thing to do in our park but it’s not a harmful thing to do,” said Mayor Sandy Haimoff. “In these economic times if it can help, there’s nothing wrong with it – especially with the restrictions we have in place.”

Haimoff said she has been to baseball games in other towns that had advertising in the outfield.

“Other schools and areas have signs up,” she said. “I did not find it offensive.”