Originally published in Carroll Capital, the print publication of the Carroll School of Management at Boston College. Read the full issue here.
With something so steeped in American culture as baseball, it’s easy to forget that the sport is also a business. “Just like with any business, you always have your consumer in mind,” says Joe Martinez ’05. “We need fans to pay to watch, come to games, and buy merchandise.”
Joe Martinez '05
Martinez, the vice president of on-field strategy for Major League Baseball, spent a decade playing baseball professionally—even earning a World Series ring with the San Francisco Giants—before trading his jersey for a suit and entering the consulting industry, first at Morgan Stanley and then PwC. Martinez says it was a desire to up his professional game that made him take the leap, a risky move that paid off when the MLB came calling again in 2020.
These days, part of his role revolves around implementing new league rules—like the introduction of a pitch clock—to improve gameplay and fan experience. While the MLB wants to ensure fans see a great game, “you don't want to make it too difficult for our players to do what makes them great,” he says. “I have a unique perspective,” the former pitcher says of his experience on and off the field. “I consider myself very fortunate to be able to keep structuring my life around the game I love.”
