Fixing MLB

[GA Umpire]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

Why does it have to be about ADD? Maybe the sport is just not appealing. There are people that do not like to watch Soccer or the World Cup and there is much more action in that sport than any other I can think of. It is not about ADD, it is about appeal. When baseball was the National Pastime, there was not TV and sports like Boxing was something the nation paid attention to. Both were heavily followed on the radio. I bet without looking, hardly anyone could name the Heavyweight champion in any division and I bet that the casual fan could not name 5 players on each WS team. This has more to do with the public have moved on to watch and focus on other things. Football is just more appealing. It works better on TV and the media spent all summer talking about a free agent in a sport and they finally played a game last night. And the average person probably would not know who Cliff Lee if he walked into their house. But they could identify some player that is not even that famous and they wear a helmet. It is just a different era and the rules should change just like any other sport that wants to stay relevant. And if they don't then they will have more people watch NFL and NBA games during the WS. And I will hardly watch much of the series because I have other things to do just at the time the games are being played. Baseball is just not appointment TV anymore like it probably once was.

Peace

Everything I have said is being reiterated in this one post. Word it how you want to so you will accept the reason. But, it still comes down to "What people are willing to sit through and watch". The down time is still the same. Even in soccer, the ball is passed around until someone goes for the shot. The "dead" time is passing the ball around until a score attempt is made. Perception of "action" is everything. ALL sports have "dead" time. What the viewer perceives as that time is PERCEPTION.

"Appeal" and "ADD" are pretty interchangeable in this context. Some movies don't have "appeal" but some watch those movies while others don't. Same concept here only some refuse to accept it and move on with their lives. Think about it. I could watch "The Green Mile" even though it was about 4 hours long. However, I can't sit through some movies and they are only 2 1/2 hours b/c I didn't want to watch them. They lasted too long for me. Same here. You don't want to watch a 3 hour baseball game, I do. So I have no issues with it.

I think yawetag makes an excellent point about the number of teams/divisions as well. Make too many and no one can keep up. Boxing did the same thing and now no one knows who is champion of which division. However, in the UFC, they have about 5 and everyone can keep up with that. And, I don't watch most of it but I can keep up b/c there are only a few to keep up with.

I did not like DS play when it came out and still don't. NCAA has this same issue in the spring. Many watch for their favorite team in the top 64 and lose interest for a while if their team isn't in it anymore. Then, when it dwindles down to the top 16 or even 4, those not watching watch b/c the number involved is less. But, again, it comes down to "ADD". I have it when it comes to the NCAA tournament.

You don't want to pay attention to the game b/c of its duration and "lack of pace" which you don't like. Then, don't watch it and don't complain about it when it happens. I like the game just fine the way it is. Have since I was 7. And, I don't want it to change. It is a great sport for ME.

And, I don't think marketing has anything to do with it. It is just a personal preference for each individual. You either watch it and like it or you don't. Marketing isn't going to change the length of time the game takes. No amount of marketing is going to change that. Maybe not forming "dynasties" will help but not really. Fans of a team will watch regardless of who their team is playing.

I think the playoffs are too long and drawn out with DS play. The same teams are being displayed for about 4 weeks to everyone. And, now there is discussion of stretching the playoffs. That is a major reason why people are bored with the playoffs. They are lasting too long with the same teams. Football and NCAA don't have this. Each day the sports play, the opposition is different.

I felt like creating a PeteBooth post with this one.