Nathan Goldman

Context/Description

Introduction

“” is undoubtedly one of the most influential sports movies of all time.

The Hollywood screenplay originated from actual events that took place in Major

League by one of the sports biggest underdogs. Despite facing an incredibly traditionalized system and extreme financial obstacles, the “” were able to spark a change in Baseball's culture by dominating on the Diamond. With the help of the movie's entertaining storyline, this “methodological cultural shift” began to be applied in other areas of society. Obviously culture shifts happen in many different fields of “corporational management”, but it's unanimously uncertain why and how they occur?

Communication scholars would definitely be intrigued in locating what this process may look like through the framework of “Moneyball’s cinema production.” For the purpose of this research investigation, a concise motive is formulated to directly address the established question. The primary objective is to Analyze Moneyball’s accurate representation of how the Oakland Athletics front office utilized a “Counterpublic perspective” to impact the culture of baseball, by removing visual evaluations of players, and replacing it with pure statistical criteria.

Throughout the duration of this section, there are intentions to unpack how these norms are perceived within Baseball culture. Acknowledging the realization of this persistently “antiprogressive theme” in the sport is key before starting a theoretical analysis. In many ways Baseball acts as a microcosm for society's social problems, compared to this unframiler theme in other popular professional sports such as the

“NFL”, and “NBA”. Former Baltimore Orioles outfielder Adam Jones claims: “We already have two strikes against us already, so you might as well not kick yourself out of the game. In football, you can’t kick them out. You need those players. In baseball, they don’t need us.” (Adam Jones, 2016) This is a powerful statement because it captures a narrative of traditionalist dominance in the MLB compared to the NFL. Although the balance of power was shifted in professional Football after Moneyballs influence, the discourse was reopened during the “Colin Kaepernick Controversy”. Roots of old fashioned managerial style dominance still trickle out from sustained progress. Players are still obligated to fall in line when directed by the team's management in some cases.

This is a reminder of how incredibly difficult it is to disrupt “traditionalist values” associated with Baseball's intended normalities. Diversification has been met with sturdy rebuttal from authoritative positions in the sport for many years.

The next objective of this “contextual framework” is to compare similar elements of the Moneyball story to cultural transformations that took place at “Netflix”. A relatable statistical influence sparks drastic financial achievement in a competitive market. After providing key background information about the values of baseball culture needed to understand the context of Moneyball, origins behind the popularized statistical theory utilized will be discussed. In 2003 Author “Michel Lewis” composed a documentary based novel to capture events that took place during the Athletics 2002 season. Lewis was effectively able to popularize the phenomenon among the general public. This groundbreaking story eventually led to an interest from a Hollywood cinema production.

Description/Context

As previously stated, the primary objective of this research project is to conceptualize how Moneyball effectively alters principles of Baseball culture by implementing a heavy reliance on statistical data. Yet,Despite the widespread trend of statistical value started by the Oakland Athletics, pockets of old school baseball fans exist within the media and the general public. “Dodgers Broadcast Announcer Joe

Simpson” was documented on live television stating: “What do you see? T-shirts. You see Chase Utley with no socks and pants up over his knees, and a T-shirt…and I think about fans that come to SunTrust Park who are Dodgers fans and want to see their players.” (Joe Sampson) This ridiculous critique was in response to Dodgers vetren player Chase Utley wearing a t-shirt during pre-game batting practice. During the time of this statement it's unclear if Simpson knew Utley's shirt was supporting a “Cancer relief movement.” Of course these comments were met with severe outrage from the

“progressive minded voices” that now dominate Baseball culture. Simpson is a radical example of the “traditionalist perspective” that attempted to police the game for generations. An unwritten rule such as: “dressing in uniform during pregame warmups” is a prime example of an unnecessary expectation the Oakland Athletics management was trying to disregard. Age, Appearance, and personality often camouflaged traits that could be used as an asset on a winning team. According to Eventually this mathematical mindset resulted in a chain reaction of other teams following the same principles associated with the newfound theory. “Market Watch” describes: “Since the analytical revolution, everyone in baseball now knows that lefty pitchers can more easily retire lefty batters.” (Edwin Amenta, 2019) The important takeaway from this statement is to recognize how mathematical implications have become internalized into the execution of the games strategy. Possessing statistical knowledge is essential in developing a “competitive edge”.

When Moneyball released in the cinema world in 2011 this transformational process in Baseball culture became relevant among “public interest.” However, professional Baseball teams were conducting this statistically embedded culture years before the Hollywood films release. The dual combination of academy award winning actors “Brad Pitt,” and “Jonah Hill” fulfill the movie's entertainment credibility regardless of its plotline. Billy Bean is the Athletics General represented by Brad Pitt in the cast. “Brad Pitt is an Academy Award and Golden Globe winner known for such films as 'Legends of the Fall,' 'Fight Club,' 'The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,'

'Moneyball,'...” (A&E Television Networks, 2018) Brads successful career was heavily influenced by his award-winning acting in Moneyball. Jonah Hill's role of the “General

Managers Assistant” is also critical for the movie to display the brains behind the statistical evidence. Jonah’s character “Peter Brand '' is shown as a intellectual genius, with a “Masters in Economics from Yale.” Regardless of these impressive accolades,

Peter has never competed in any form of organized baseball. This lack of personal familiarity is viewed negatively by baseball traditionalists, because it's an unofficial trait necessary for an educated baseball enthusiast in an organization's leadership role. An ideal scout or player evaluator prior to the Moneyball era can be described as: “guy who sizes up the young prospect playing high-school or college ball, gets to know him away from the diamond, and draws on many years of experience hanging out with professional ballplayers ….” (Louis Menand, 2019) Being around the game is a measure of key knowledge among games educators because of the game's reliability on visual evaluations. On a broader scale is not the only business setting to undergo a similar culture shift. At one point “Netflix” embodied a relatable strategy to that of the Oakland Athletics management.

Netflix has not always been a financially successful organization compared to its competitors. After failing to obtain anticipated profit margins the company decided to reconstruct their entire business model. “CEO Reed Hastings explains”: “We don’t and can’t compete on breadth with Comcast, Sky, Amazon, Apple, Microsoft, Sony, or

Google. For us to be hugely successful we have to be a focused passion brand.”

(Harvard Business Review, 2019) Netflix knew it drastically lacked the resources to attract enough customers for maintaining the sole effort on Video Distribution Instead, producing original entertainment content will mark their organizations presence in new territory of the “Home Movie Culture''. At the early stages of this new business model

Netflix experienced little success among popular cultures, because it went against normalities of cultural acceptance. For a company lacking traditional credibility to create content that is enjoyed by a mass number of individuals, was unheard of in the Cinema industry. “Digital Uncovered” states: “Netflix is trying to redefine the long established

Hollywood model that depends on a system of showcasing a movie in theaters followed months later by the release of a DVD or a download.” (Sorriaj Divakaran)

This fresh new perspective brought a significant measure of investment growth as time progressed. Management also proposed a statistical approach for categorizing their products popularity among the fanbase. Keeping records of a viewer's previously watched T.V Shows, and Movies, allows for Netflix to suggest new content titles. This analytically driven cultural movement, builds these suggestions on interpellated audience interests. Evidence confirms: “Netflix regularly analyses, segments and compares the swathes of data….” (Digital Uncovered) The overriding importance of statistical information is an amicable comparison to the event illustrated in Moneyball.

Although this section explains how the cultural theory of “Moneyball” can be viewed with a relatable scope outside the boundaries of sports, the phenomenons “road map to the big screen” is not yet completed.

The role of Author “Michael Lewis'' is the driving force of the intriguing nature surrounding the 2002 A’s. “Moneyball:The Art of Winning an Unfair Game” proved to be a historically accurate documentation of real events. Hollywood noticed the opportunity to capitalize on the complex discussion introduced by Lewis, and funded the production.

A massive budget of 50million (IMDb.com) was awarded to the production company to account for the expected public popularity. The evolving characterization of systematic cultural normalities is the primary theme throughout most of Lewis’s work.

“GreaterTalent.com” claims: “Lewis’ program takes a fresh, hard look at the ever- changing value systems that drive our economic markets…” (Greattalent.com) Events from the infamous Oakland Athletics 2002 season opened the door to an economic concept that could be understood by the public, because of Baseball's generationally dominant presence in American Culture. Lewis has a unique ability to present a relatable conceptualization of economic barriers within sports culture. When the

“moneyball phenomenon” required cinema level expectations, some of Lewis’s pure statistically driven text had to be exaggerated for entertainment purposes. The characterization of Athletics manager “Art Howe'' is shown constantly opposing his general manager’s attempts to alter their existing cultural mindset. Howe claims to have never taken this traditionalist stance towards the change. According to Howe: “they didn't have to malign my character the way they did.” (Art Howe, 2011) Hollywood's efforts to create unnecessary conflict, assists in the fortification of affirming Baseball's stubborn cultural norms. An over emphasized exaggeration of internal conflict during the film helps facilitate a diversified critical conversation. This analytical scope is applicable across multiple management based platforms, due to its understandable demonstration of what a positive cultural change looks like. The moneyball story attracts the attention of a “sports fan” and a “economist.”Both the statistically based financial achievements, and the redefining of an organizational identity, provide possible analytical topics.

From a financially fueled method of discussion, Investment strategies within the movie are debated for their accuracy in real world situations. Trying to apply the lessons of maximizing a small budget in a competitive market is a task embodied by some eager minded investors. “The Journal of Economic Perspective'' explains: “Basic price theory implies a tight correspondence between pay and productivity when markets are competitive and rich in information, as would seem to be the case in baseball” (Hakes,

Sauer, 173) Baseball functions as a microcosm to metaphorically allude to vast differences in Capitalisms functionality. Levels of wealth vary tremendously because of the markets individualized benefits available to those on top. In Baseball poor teams traditionally stay in a cycle of year to year losing, however rich teams are usually consistently competitive. Moneyballs ability to showcase the breaking of these capitalist boundaries is unprecedented. Variations of the storys financial strategy have been, and will be replicated in various forms of business models.

Moneyballs influence has forever changed the overall business of professional sports. In the years leading up to, and following the movies hollywood success, other popular sports attempted to replicate a similar process. Gaining a critically undervalued statistical advantage over competition is an extremely common theme. An example from the NFL includes: “work of the Cleveland Browns and, more specifically, the influence of

Paul DePodesta that helped to bring the analysis method of recruitment to football in the

NFL.” (PFN Staff, 2020) This modern day relevance of a moneyball variation in

America's most popular sport, truly displays the cultural milestone achieved by

Oakland’s management. The historically uncompetitive culture present in the “Cleveland

Browns” Organization, also provides a familiar background of existingly negative culture.

Initial Conclusions

After conducting initial background research about the cultural shift displayed in

“Moneyball”, various predictions can be formulated to answer the primary research question: Is the cultural transformation depicted in moneyball a relatable concept in the corporate world? Yes, evidence of cultural tanfroamtioms similar to the events in

Moneyball are visible in corporate platforms outside of Major League Baseball. The elimination of culturally constructed deficiencies such as age, class, and personality allows for employee evaluations on an equal playing field. Moneyballs ability to simplify this evaluation process fits perfectly into modern cultures' efficacy efforts. Our current generation seeks to dissolve anything that fails to support instant gratification. Statistical barriers force the idea of where to start, and what exactly is needed for a successful outcome. Focusing on cutting out the possibility of human error continues to intensify with technology's continuous progression Yet, despite this currently described hypothesis, the exact limitations of the moneyball phenomenon is still unclear. The ramifications Cinema expectations definitely altered the events accuracy to some degree, but it's hard to know corporate cultural shifts are influenced by events left out in the movie. Additionally, is there evidence that suggests events solely in the movie have inspired a cultural impact in their work environment?

A raw “Textual Analysis” from the “Moneyball cinema production” will function as a method to further unpack this briefly described hypothesis.

Bibliography

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