Does a 162 game season hurt baseball? (pitchers, tickets, games, record)

[aardvarks]

162 games made sense when only 2 playoff seeds per league were handed out. cream always rises to the top

[aardvarks]

Originally Posted by John23

I think the NFL is popular for several reasons,

A. No work stoppage. Can you imagine if a Superbowl or two had been lost in the last 10-15 years due to a lockout? It would have been a disaster.

B. They've kept standards high. No changes to the game that are really impactful...i.e. like the NBA and how they've changed the defensive rules since the 90's.

C. Great marketing. Like NFL Films. Big fan base, includes women. The NFL doesn't seem to be scared of change (the same can't be said for every other league). Other leagues are more confused. Is the NBA really international?

D. They've been smart not to water down the league with expansion. I'd argue baseball might the most overexpanded sport. The Marlins are drawing 20 some thousand? That's worst than a 162 game season.

I think the NFL has benefited the most from the internet, HD, and the media options of the last 10 years. They have a more compact product. The superbowl still generates insane publicity.

I think the baseball schedule seems bigger now because we have more entertainment options, more things are happening. Look at all the UFC fights. They are up to 140? There use to be just a few big boxing matches a year. I dont think baseball will change their schedule.

Mostly good points here but I disagree with B. I recently watched a classic game from 1985 and it was like watching a different sport.

[Grandstander]

I'm at a loss to understand those here advocating fewer ML games.

You are baseball fans who want less baseball?

And if you feel that there are too many games, isn't there an awfully easy remedy available.....not watching?

Your position leaves you not only demanding that you not have to watch as many games, but those who would like to watch should also be deprived.

[Debsi]

I don't want more baseball, I want better baseball. The talent is too diluted. A 100 game season would make each game more impactful/exciting and it would bring us a 4 (?) pitcher rotation instead of 5; therefore increasing the quality of the games while decreasing the quantity.

[jtur88]

Originally Posted by John23

B. They've kept standards high. No changes to the game that are really impactful...i.e. like the NBA and how they've changed the defensive rules since the 90's.
.

On the contrary, football rules have been watered down about half-way to touch football, in the interest of player safety, and we are only now beginning to understand the safety risk of football, so it has a lot further to go in that respect. Because baseball is a non-contact sport, that fact alone might be the main factor in the survival of baseball after football is dead and gone. Football fans are not going to keep on paying that kind of money to see ballet tackling.

Within the next couple of decades, there is a very good chance that high school football will be banned, except maybe touch or flag football, and where will the NFL be then?

When I played HS football, there was very little protection provided by equipment, no face guards at all, flexible helmets, leather shoulderpads. In the NFL, a ball carrier wasn't whistled down until there were enough defenders on top of him he couldn't crawl anymore.

[John23]

Originally Posted by jtur88

On the contrary, football rules have been watered down about half-way to touch football, in the interest of player safety, and we are only now beginning to understand the safety risk of football, so it has a lot further to go in that respect. Because baseball is a non-contact sport, that fact alone might be the main factor in the survival of baseball after football is dead and gone. Football fans are not going to keep on paying that kind of money to see ballet tackling.

Within the next couple of decades, there is a very good chance that high school football will be banned, except maybe touch or flag football, and where will the NFL be then?

When I played HS football, there was very little protection provided by equipment, no face guards at all, flexible helmets, leather shoulderpads. In the NFL, a ball carrier wasn't whistled down until there were enough defenders on top of him he couldn't crawl anymore.

I think football has become more modern...i.e., the technology, shoulder pads, training, etc. The rule changes haven't really impacted ratings or franchise values.

I think the rules would have been changed in the 50's-70's, if they had the medical technology to understand head injuries, concussions, like they do now, etc. The money and visability of football changed the game (TV contracts and Superbowl).

Fining guys that celebrate in the endzone is crazy. And there are other rules that are questionable. But in some areas, like handling instant replay, I think they've done well.

-I agree, baseball is probably in much better shape long term. Schools have gotten so politically correct and safety oriented, who knows what will happen to HS football.

[jlawrence01]

I think that there are a lot of issues that need to be addressed for baseball to be more popular. For the record, I USED to attend 10-15 games each year.

First, the season is way too long. I really DO NOT want to sit in the stands in early April at night in Cleveland, Chicago, Minnesota, and the like.

Even more than that, the game itself in so long. When do you need to have ten pitching changes every game? Do you really need 20+ seconds between every pitch.

[filihok]

Originally Posted by jlawrence01

I really DO NOT want to sit in the stands in early April at night in Cleveland, Chicago, Minnesota, and the like.

DO NOT go to a game in Cleveland, Chicago, or Minnesota in early April. One problem solved.

[Ridgerunner]

Originally Posted by jlawrence01

I really DO NOT want to sit in the stands in early April at night in Cleveland, Chicago, Minnesota, and the like.

Why not? Football fans watch games in much worse conditions.

[Natural510]

I think it's fine the way it is...a long season evens out hot & cold stretches, and even though the playoffs themselves are a crap-shoot, getting there is not (unlike those other sports mentioned). I also think the ability to win one's division will mean even more with the new wild-card configuration, making the 162-game season more imperative.