MLB Eliminates Majority of Social Media Content Creator Positions

Amid a financially turbulent period, Major League Baseball has decided to part ways with a significant portion of their In-Game Social Media Content Coordinators. The league has been forced to slash various positions over the last year due to the substantial impact of COVID-19.

While the league has yet to publicly announce these terminations, many social creators have disclosed their departures via Twitter:

A lot of the creative minds behind MLB social accounts were unexpectedly let go off today. I was one of them.

Here is a link to my portfolio: https://t.co/7C2WOLqjJu.

I will thread some of my work.

Psalm 118:22 pic.twitter.com/WWDkFqcdYT

— Brian Havrilla (@brianhavrilla) February 12, 2021

I'm loathe to do this kinda stuff here but:

For the small group of A's fans who follow me, MLB laid off everyone in my department today, so unfortunately I won't be your bad tweets man on the A's account during games anymore

— Colton Denning (@Dubsco) February 12, 2021

my position was eliminated in the latest round of layoffs at MLB. Connecting the sport i love to more people was entirely joyful, and doing it well was too. I’m so proud of what the small Marlins social team created in my time, and I hope to continue to help in whatever capacity pic.twitter.com/ptMJlXp066

— mina (@maddc8) February 12, 2021

While the In-Game Social Media Content Coordinators were employed by Major League Baseball under the “IGC Program,” many clubs still retain their own individual social teams. Still, social media has undoubtedly become an integral component of enhancing the fan experience. Many teams have cultivated unique ways to connect with fans through their online platforms, like the Los Angeles Angels, who helped fans feel at home last summer with their “back to the ballpark” campaign. Lauren Pluim (@LoPluim), one of the social creators let go today, was credited with executing this idea.

While these positional cuts may be financially necessary in the short-term, it could have detrimental, long-term implications with regards to saturating new, diverse markets for baseball.