Americans are tired of baseball because its too slow. The fans look at their
video games then attempt to watch a baseball game. Take the Pirates, their
business model consists of many T-shirt games and fireworks show on Friday night
games. The Pirates still make money for the owners.
Still more exciting then soccer
shareAs someone who played baseball from 6-20 and used to be a huge fan of MLB, these are the biggest problems I've had with MLB in recent years:
1) Greed...both the players and the owners.
2) Ownership...bad ownership can render a fanbase pretty much powerless to do anything (except stop watching or going to games). I'm a Cincinnati Reds' fan...they went from being one of the most storied major-league franchises to pretty much an afterthought in the past 25-30 years. I think poor ownership has been the primary cause.
3) Sabermetrics...there are some good things about it, but I'm not a fan of a lot of the "advanced sabermetrics." I like this movie and Billy Beane did a lot of good things as Oakland's GM...but how many World Series did he win (or playoff series, for that matter)?
4) Postseason baseball...MLB has butchered their postseason. Starting games too late so that kids on the East Coast can't stay up to watch them...too many teams make the playoffs now also, IMO. MLB was the one professional sport where the regular season still meant something...not so much anymore.
5) Pace of play...it does seem like MLB has finally addressed this and the pitch clock seems to be working, so that's good.
6) The mixing of politics into sports in recent years...it's not just MLB that has been affected, but it's something that I'm very much against.
7) Changing the "fundamental nature" of the game...e.g., the "runner on 2B" to start extra-inning play. I'm not a fan of that.
It was never meant to be a thrill a minute. It's a leisurely game, but it's gone too far. Too much fidgeting and fooling around by players. Too many delays. It's also too big, too corporate, and too expensive to attend on a regular basis for most people. A pitch clock would go a long way to tightening up games without actually changing anything. Then if they'd just get rid of that silly organ music.
shareBaseball is a boring game to watch--- On TV or in the stadium--- Playing it is almost sleeptime
shareI feel bad for people who can’t find the pleasure in the laid-back rhythm of being at the ballpark on a warm, breezy summer’s evening, with a couple good friends or a significant other….enjoying a dog and a cold beer.
It’s generally the same people who’d rather order their clothes and meals online…stay home on the couch like a shut-in rather than go to the movies….avoid bookstores and dine-in restaurants….and can’t put their phones down even at the G—damn gym.
Well thank God for the sanctimonious and supercilious folks like yourself
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