Ernest Dove - Crypto Is Taking Over Minor League Baseball One Sponsorship At A Time

Out of nowhere in early February 2022 a new crypto coin emerged, with a stated agenda to help minor league baseball players who throughout baseball for years are known to be working and being paid below a living wage. Durham Inu, its $RBI token with their mission statement as “The world’s first token designed to help minor league baseball players by providing assistance through various initiatives and financial support” have been helping ever since.

Within days of launch the crypto coin project had sought out and begun financially supporting players around minor league baseball including major league experienced RP Ryan Sherriff and IF Taylor Walls.

Among the group of initial sponsored players were New York Mets RHP prospect Joe Zanghi. At last count the Mets farm system now has a total of 11 players sponsored by the project including other upper minors arms like Marcel Renteria, Cole Gordon, Trey Cobb, Tom Hackimer to go with catcher Nick Meyer and others.

A curiosity has quickly turned into a reality for almost 100 minor league players around baseball to this point.    There have been dozens of social media posts and videos of players around minor league baseball talking about their hardships and the new opportunities given to them and more importantly afforded to them over the past 2 months through the help of the project.

I’ve interviewed countless players including many sponsored by Durham Inu who have shared their thoughts and feelings of the project providing them funds at the most needed time during spring when as you know minor league baseball players are in camps without pay.

Over the course of only two months the project has seen growth in player sponsorships as well as partnerships with other organizations around baseball. There are agreements in place for the project to now support and sponsor players involved with organizations like More Than Baseball and Adopt A Minor Leaguer.

The fascinating part of this as well is that the players are being sponsored and paid in crypto. As the crypto community continues to grow, so do opportunities for people around the world to become more familiar with the currency. It has become a unique opportunity for players who have informed this writer that often within twenty four hours they have received payments and sponsorship, still not believing it and just being thankful for the support. 

For years I have spoken with players who have told stories of their time sleeping on floors, blow up mattresses, sharing space with as many as 6 teammates throughout their career, taking part time jobs during the offseason including those working construction while being a pitching prospect. I’ve known of a player interviewing for jobs at a local clothing store in the same offseason he was earning a spot on a team’s 40 man roster.

One of the keys told amongst sponsored minor league players regarding the sponsorship was not only about food or shelter, but rather the overall chance and opportunity to spend more time on the mound and in the cage instead of at work for another employer. There are thoughts around baseball of the possible player development impacts that could come from this support. For every first round pick and seven figure international free agent there are hundreds of minor leaguers around baseball signing a small bonus and earning from $8-$11K a year going for their dreams.

Major League Baseball has just recently begun efforts to better support minor league players with free housing.  All my sources in the Mets organization have praised the new resources and housing in camp and into their minor league seasons, including those who have a spouse and children being looked after and found housing separately.

However, with wages still remaining low, its projects like Durham Inu and their coin creating a new age form of funding and support.

As the coin goes, so goes the sponsorship, hype, support and growth of a new community still in its infancy. Time will tell what becomes of the project and of crypto currency as we currently know it. The support is there, the backing is there, the need is there.

The coin and its sponsorships are powered by holders of the $RBI coin. If you are curious about the project and want to learn more, check out their website at durhaminu.com and follow them on twitter.