Is baseball becoming more despised and why? (uniforms, superbowl, women)

[Drover]

Originally Posted by green_mariner

Is baseball becoming more despised and why?

No.

[Natural510]

It's not despised, the average sports fan has just lost interest. The slow pace, increased by slow deliveries on the mound and endless pitching changes (not to mention incredibly long season followed by a now-longer postseason) isn't even half the reason as much as the disparity between the haves and the have-nots. If you're fortunate enough to be a fan of one of the dozen or so big-market, well-off teams, you're interested. If you're a fan of a team who hasn't had a realistic chance to win a World Series since the 1980s due to where it's located, you're more interested in football and basketball season.

[jtur88]

Play by play done by baseball-haters like Joe Buck doesn't help. And the constant whining of sportscasters and sportswriters about the length of games, when they're just doing what to them is gruntwork, while dying to get to the post-game wet-bar. If your job, day in day out, was to cover games year after year, you'd want one-hour games, too.

Back in the old long-forgotten days of double headers, the biggest attendances of the year came on days that promised 5 hours of baseball, and now commentators are telling us that 3 hours is too long. And commercial breaks take up 50-60 minutes of every game, a fact that is never referenced on air by a commentator whining about the length of games.

Of course it's too long, for most of the spectators, few of whom are baseball fans. Look at the yuppies and morons and freaks on Fan Cam gulping the advertiser's stupor-inducing product. Ninety percent of them don't know the score, much less the count, nor even who the visiting opponents are, while baseball fans are priced out of the market for $50 seats and have to endure ear-splitting heavy metal during the 3-minute commercial breaks.

[Ridgerunner]

Originally Posted by Natural510

If you're a fan of a team who hasn't had a realistic chance to win a World Series since the 1980s due to where it's located, you're more interested in football and basketball season.

Yeah, teams that are located in the three largest metros seem to have a definite advantage. Except the Mets, Cubs, White Sox, Dodgers and Angels.

[annie_himself]

One problem I have with the MLB is the no salary cap. I'm not a party pooper but too much money is made by these players. We might as well pay college athletes.

[jtur88]

Originally Posted by Ridgerunner

Yeah, teams that are located in the three largest metros seem to have a definite advantage. Except the Mets, Cubs, White Sox, Dodgers and Angels.

And the next biggest, which are Phils, Rangers, Astros, Nationals, Marlins.

[Alacran]

Originally Posted by filihok

How Much Action is in a Baseball Broadcast? - WSJ.com


Football Games Have 11 Minutes of Action - WSJ.com

Thanks.
I don't like football either.

[green_mariner]

Originally Posted by Alacran

Because nothing happens. Once contact is made you can tell if its a foul, single, double, triple, or home. There's no other actions.
No surprises.

There is a large amount of waiting.
More then half the time everything is still.
There's probably like 30 minutes or less of actual movement all pplayers combined.

That's part of the excitement. You have to understand the game. I've played it.

[yman97]

I see three big reasons why baseball is no longer considered America's past time:

1. It' easier and less costly to play football and basketball. I think that's one of the primary reasons that more kids especially inner city kids don't play baseball. It's difficult to organize plus you have to buy gloves, bats, and balls. Not to mention the need for multiple players. You can throw together a football or basketball game with just a few friends and far less organized.

2. The lack of parity turns a lot of people off. If I live near Pittsburgh or Kansas City or Seattle or San Diego, why should I care? My team has a very small chance of competing unless somebody smarter comes along (a la Billy Beane). Even if they do, it only allows your team a chance to compete during a very short window but the better players will certainly leave for New York, Boston, or Anaheim where they can overbid the other teams. Until there's some kind of salary cap, the interest will remain regional.

3. Baseball isn't as tv-friendly. I don't think this can be overstated. It's a lot easier and more entertaining to watch football and basketball. Those sports are made for tv and they're star driven. Baseball, on the other hand, is made to watch in person where you can take in the sounds, the smells, and the atmosphere. You can pick up things that you can't on television. I grew up a baseball fan and it is my first love, however, I find that watch far fewer games on tv than I did when I was a kid. I'd prefer to go to the stadium any day of the week and I can't say that for football or basketball. I'd much rather watch those games on tv. And, unfortunately, tv is where the money is.

[JazzyTallGuy]

Originally Posted by green_mariner

Let me rephrase the question. I don't despise baseball. However, alot of people I come into contact with don't like baseball. I am running into more people who don't like baseball than ever. I am around many international students and whenever basketball season comes around, everyone is thrilled about it. Whenever it's baseball season, no one cares. It isn't just international students. Whenever the Super Bowl, March Madness, or SEC football is in season, I see alot of American students flocking for that. When it was the World Series, much fewer people.

Whenever I have tried to talk about baseball with some people, I have personally heard stuff like "baseball is boring" or "baseball takes too long". Alot of baseball fans I run into are people who have played baseball, or people over 30. I am finding fewer and fewer people under 30 who like baseball as much as I did back in the 1990's.

Young people live in the world if instant gratification and they feel the need to be constantly excited and titillated by the media.

BASEBALL DOES NOT PROVIDE THAT!

You shouldn't be surprised that younger people are no longer interested in baseball. Also baseball is usually something that you develop a love for at a young age that usually stays with you for life. It is something that is usually introduce to a youngster BY THEIR FATHER. In a nation with more single parent homes headed by women WHO INTRODUCES KIDS TO BASEBALL?

NOBODY!