Colorado Rockies Won’t Be Part of ‘Games of Thrones’ MLB Promotion

Even though the Rocky Mountains might look like a good setting for Game of Thrones, it looks like Nolan Arenado and the Colorado Rockies won’t be going anywhere near Castle Black or Pyke any time soon.

According to published reports, Major League Baseball and HBO, home of the runaway hit “Game of Thrones,” are teaming up for a cross-promotion during baseball season. With “Game of Thrones” debuting new episodes and beginning its seventh season this summer, the timing of the cross-promotion makes sense.

It’s been reported that 19 of Major League Baseball’s 30 teams will be participating in the promotion. The Rockies, however, are not one of those teams. They join the San Diego Padres as the only National League West teams to not be a part of the crusade … at least not at the current time.

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Part of the cross-promotion includes “Game of Thrones”-themed nights at stadiums around the country, according to this article on MLB.com.

So why this partnership. Here’s a telling paragraph from this article…

"The deal works for MLB because GoT will introduce the new episodes in the middle of the baseball season. In addition, it will appeal to millennials — a group that the league wants to reach."

Reaching this generation seems to be one of Major League Baseball’s biggest things to cross off its to-do list at the moment. MLB recently decided to eliminate the standard way of issuing an intentional walk. No longer will a pitcher have to throw four balls way outside the strike zone to the catcher. Now a simple signal from the dugout will make the intentional walk happen.

It’s all part of a plan to speed up the game and appeal to a new generation where attention spans seem to have shortened. It’s the same generation that can’t get enough of “Game of Thrones,” which drew 8.9 million viewers to its Season 6 finale, Variety recently reported.

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It may be a hit but, for now at least, the Rockies will let other teams figure out how to tie in the Red Wedding with the Cincinnati Reds and how winter will be coming to the boys of summer.