Major League Baseball located in New York, NY will begin rolling out RealResponse’s (@RealResponseHQ) award-winning safe and secure feedback, monitoring, and anonymous reporting platform used by athletic teams and organizations across the United States. The press release announcement today states the implementation by MLB of the RealResponse Anonymous Texting system to gather reports of misconduct amongst players, staff, or employees. At a time in our nation’s history when mental health issues have finally become more important to all citizens due to the amount of mass murders, suicides and other various types of abuses, the timing of this deal is spot with assisting MLB better track, then reach out in a proactive manner regarding a variety of misconduct offenses. The list includes domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse, as well as PED’s and sports betting, plus other potential violations of professional baseball’s conduct rules according the latest Collective Bargaining Agreement. The Sports Techie community blog curator is doing a virtual, one-handed applause to the powers that be at MLB for agreeing to meet these crisis head on in hopes of reversing the trends for a better today and tomorrow for the victims, and propitiators, alike. RealResponse is making a difference for the sporting world and so too is MLB when it comes to the use of this proprietary Anonymous Texting System to improve best practices.
MLB Reporting Tech
RealResponse has an online platform enabling real-time reporting and surveys while operating as a document repository.
“The addition of RealResponse to our existing reporting channels will provide another option to encourage the reporting of misconduct, by ensuring that people have a variety of pathways to make a report, so they can use the method that they are most comfortable with,” said Moira Weinberg, MLB’s Senior Vice President, Investigations & Deputy General Counsel. “The platform is another safe and confidential option for people to speak up and helps us continue to take a proactive approach addressing potential misconduct issues.”
MLB Investigators
The Department of Investigations for MLB plans to receive and respond to messages via Anonymous Texter. This tool allows the individual to remain anonymous as long as they would like while they can continue to provide information and assist with investigations.
“With Major League Baseball’s implementation of our services, they expand the ability for individuals to report misconduct issues in medium that they may feel more comfortable in, while remaining safe and anonymous,” said David Chadwick, CEO and Founder of RealResponse. “It will really help augment the great work MLB has already been doing in this space and, most importantly, it can help not only identify but potentially prevent potential issues before they arise. We look forward to learning and assisting in any way we can to help MLB.”
Real Response Matters
The tech company was founded in 2015, then expanded in 2020. RealResponse provides their technologies to over 100 colleges and universities. It is notable the NFL’s Denver Broncos and Kansas City Chiefs, and the NFLPA as other existing clients. More contracted users include USADA, the NWSL and several member clubs, USA Track and Field and USA Gymnastics. In total, approximately 150,000 athletes and staff use the anonymous ability to share feedback, concerns and facts, in the most safe and secure manner in the industry.
Look for news about additional partnerships with international organizations, colleges and professional sports properties over the next six months and beyond 2022.
The Charlotte Business Journal in North Carolina named the local company as one of the “Fifty Most Innovative Companies in the Region.”
Additional information about RealResponse can be found on their website: realresponse.com.
Sports Techie, this story makes me reflect upon the NFL, Commissioner Roger Goodell and the similar issues facing the NFLPA, the referees, and those employed by the shield. In particular, is the Washington Commanders hostile work environment and owner Daniel Snyder’s role in fostering and ignoring the realities of his company culture. Many women and some men have stepped forward when approached by private investigators with their stories of workplace abuses in the Washington D.C. headquarters under the watch of then General Manager, Bruce Allen, from 2009 to 2019.
Goodell has faced incredible pressure to release the findings to the public and fans but seems to be hiding behind the thin veil of keeping those that came forward with continued anonymous standings, which I legally and ethically understand. Confidentiality is critical to those that wish to remain anonymous, however, to blanket an entire investigation under that umbrella when many of the people may have no problems sharing publicly what happened to them. is off. Afterall, it is an individual’s choice whether to go forward with public reckoning, freedom lovers, right. A concept Goodell seems to change depending on the case and who the owner(s) is, or are. The Anonymous Texter by RealResponse is a tool used to ensure anonymity to those that wish it, the entire process long, if they so choose.
Front office personal in sport also need to be held accountable for what they do when reports of misconduct reach their ears, voicemails and digital screens, and as important, what they do not do when faced with these types of reported work environment abuses, and other misconducts. Accountability is near for MLB GM’s, Directors and Management with regards to acting on reported misconducts. Hear that HR? You cannot escape the digital trails RealResponse records, nor should you. But what about their owners?
Commissioner Rob Manfred doesn’t hate baseball yet is constantly facing deserved harshness for his coddling of the “good ol’ boys’ mentality still ripe across the league, from ownership down to the staff and players. At the same time, he’s given credit for taking what MLB has already done with anonymous reporting of MLB violations, then stepping up with more technology aimed to expand the process, increase security and arm themselves with more knowledge in order to react proactively to concerning issues on the horizon, or manifesting as we speak. Both are true, imo.
Sign stealing by the Houston Astros and then, Boston Red Sox, were for a long-time, unsubstantiated rumors until it finally became fact. The disclosure came too late to help the Los Angles Dodgers, losers of the tainted 2017 World Series to the cheating Astros. Even then, Manager A.J. Hinch became the fall guy after being fired with no individual punishment given to team owner, Jim Crane. The very definition of the ‘good old boys’ club in action, Manfred.
With RealResponse in place, reporting the use of technology as an unfair advantage, illegal steroid use which MLB stopped testing for this year while the CBA was in limbo, insider made bets like Pete Rose did on Cincinnati Reds games back in 1989, and the many unfair MLB hiring practices, can all finally be exposed anonymously, and then acted upon, reactively or proactively.
The time for MLB to take baby steps with reporting misconduct is clearly done because RealResponse finally makes it so no matter who the Commissioner, owners and leadership are.
Send that text to MLB through RealResponse securely reporting any violation or other issue, then let the rest play itself out, anonymously or not.
See you later sportstechie in Seattle, Atlanta and around the world!
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