Ari Fleischer named consultant to MLB-4/8/09

Accounts in the NY Times and elsewhere say Mark McGwire hired Ari Fleischer's firm to oversee his confession strategy. Not mentioned is that Fleischer himself was appointed as a consultant to MLB, reported 4/8/09. If Bud Selig wants to oversee events that's fine, no one is stopping him.

• Unless otherwise informed however, readers may be left with the impression that the selections of Fleischer or even the MLB Network were serendipitous or possessed of canny merit. If Fleischer's consultancy status with MLB has changed, his recent association should still be noted. The MLB Network is Selig's network, so it will logically be his first choice for events that are important to him. Although resting comfortably atop a legal monopoly, reports have been that Selig is intensely interested in controlling media portrayals of all kinds in baseball.

from Philly.com: "In this case, Fleischer saw MLB Network as the best vehicle to achieve that,"...

• Reference: NY Times, "After Much Silence, a quick admission and apology," by Richard Sandomir, 1/11/10

• MLB.com, "Yankees take tour of White House," by Bryan Hoch, 4/8/09

• Philly.com, "McGwire interview highlights changes in sports media," by Matt Gelb, 1/13/10, via Poynter.org/Romenesko

Fleischer Company website, as of 1/13/10

• Bud Selig of course "agonized" over the news....

Tweet Stumbleupon StumbleUpon