MLB's trouble in the marketing department over the past decade or two is no secret. The league was once the class of the USA sports world, but NBA and NFL have overtaken MLB in popularity. The main difference is marketability. The NFL and NBA have not only produced elite athletes, they have developed celebrity personas in their leagues. Tom Brady, LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and Patrick Mahomes are instantly recognizable off of the field/court. New York Yankees' star Aaron Judge has a plan to help MLB regain popularity, but he needs Mookie Betts' help.

In a recent interview with Complex Sneakers, Aaron Judge discussed how shoe deals can help grow MLB. He was asked if it is time for a shoe deal for an MLB player after being shown a pair of Ken Griffey Jr's Nike Air Griffey Max 1 “Fresh Water” sneakers.

“This is something I've been trying to talk to some people about for a long time,” Judge said. “You look around the league, you got Mookie (Betts) out in LA, (Fernando) Tatis out in San Diego, (Ronald) Acuna down in Atlanta, couple guys with the Yankees, I feel like it's time for us to bust some of these out.”

Aaron Judge continued by discussing his admiration for Ken Griffey Jr and revealed how shoes could help grow the game.

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“Ken Griffey, he's the GOAT man. He deserved all this. Mookie out in LA… if there is a way that some of these shoe companies could make their cleats look like their off the field shoes, I think that will draw kids in.”

The interviewer also joked that Judge was being humble and hinted that Judge could be the player to get a shoe deal. He is currently one of the faces of MLB, so Judge would be a good candidate without question.

It is encouraging to see MLB's players taking a stand and trying to market the game.