The history of baseball is a massive part of American history from the Civil War onwards. Baseball has the United the north and south, it is integrated and had a major force on civil rights, and the teams in each city play a major cultural as well as economic role.
Baseball is an amazing sport. I’ve been a big baseball fan my entire life. I am in my 30s now, but I am a major student of baseball’s rich history.
Baseball has weathered crises before, such as multiple strokes including the cancellation of the 1994 World Series, the Black Sox scandal of 1919, and a variety of cheating scandals ranging from sinus stealing to steroid use to spitballs.
Baseball is not facing any major scandal right now, but it truly is in a major crisis. Here’s why.
The most serious issue that baseball is facing is a lack of fan interest. For over 100 years baseball has been the most ho for over 100 years baseball has been America’s pastime. In the last few decades football has surpassed it in popularity, and no basketball and soccer or quickly catching up to it in viewership and attendance and youth participation america’s pastime. In the last few decades football has surpassed it in popularity, and no basketball and soccer or quickly catching up to it in viewership, attendance and youth participation.
Young people seem to find baseball too slow and boring. Baseball players 162 games a year and they regularly last up to four hours each. Even the most diehard fans rarely have time and energy to watch before every game virtually every day throughout the summer.
Here are a few suggestions on how to speed up baseball games. You could potentially limit the number of relief pitcher changes, because every time there’s a pitching change there is a commercial break and often specialized relievers only face one batter before another pitching change is made. Also the amount of commercial breaks is increasing all the time. Severely limiting the number of commercial breaks is a good idea. MLB has recently instituted a pitch clock yet it is rarely enforced. Enforcing this would make a huge difference.
In the last few years baseball has become more than ever a game of homeruns and strikeouts. There are many less balls and play, which translates to less excitement and a longer time in between hits and baserunning opportunities. The reliance on homeruns means there are less singles and doubles, which also means that strikeouts are higher because players are swinging for the fences instead of trying to keep the ball in play and run out a base hit.
There is another aspect that is affecting the joy of watching baseball. This is called the shift. The shift means that the shortstop play is approximately at second base and the second baseman is basically in the shallow outfield between first and second base. This causes hitters to head into very many else. This is because the art of pulling the ball to the opposite field is a skill that is less and less practised.
Baseball has often been looked at as an older person’s game. I think the slow pace of the game is wonderful because it allows conversation and a relaxed atmosphere both for the fans and for the players. Also the fact that it is so old and stats are relatively comparable through the ages means that multiple generations can enjoy the game together and always learn something new.
Baseball has often been looked at as an older person‘s game. I think the slow pace of the game is wonderful because it allows conversation and a relaxed atmosphere both for the fans and for the players. Also the fact that it is so old and stats are relatively comparable through the ages means that multiple generations can enjoy the game together and always learn something new.
In Japan, Korea, and many Latin American countries and Caribbean countries, baseball is a major sport. It is extraordinarily popular in these areas, and increasing Lee major-league roster us are comprised of players from outside of USA. This is a great sign for the growth of the game internationally, and hopefully there are more homegrown young in Japan, Korea, in many Latin American countries and Caribbean countries, baseball is a major sport. It is extraordinarily popular in these areas, and increasing Lee major-league roster us are comprised of players from outside of USA. This is a great sign for the growth of the game internationally, and hopefully there are more home grown young players Who choose to play baseball also. I’m a major fan of almost every sport and sometimes the rise and fall of different sports is inevitable. It does sadden me that the rich history of baseball is not enjoyed as much by youngsters today. Perhaps that’s just an example of me getting older and wanting to influence young people to like what people liked in the ‘old days’
The demise of baseball has been predicted many times before unsuccessfully. This time however there are other sports quickly threatening to eclipse baseball in popularity. Unless baseball make substantial and major changes, I fear for its future as America’s pastime The demise of baseball has been predicted many times before unsuccessfully. This time however there are other sports quickly threatening to eclipse baseball in popularity. Unless baseball make substantial and major changes, I fear for its future as America’s pastime.
Image is from mlb.com
Like the article. If you look back to the "steriod era" attendance and fan enthusiasm was very high. I'm not advocating for drugs in sports but I think there is a growing trend when you compare that with football and basketball today........offense rules. Football has become a very high scoring, pass happy league. Basketball hasn't had defense since the days of Jordan. Even hockey has made moves and rule changes to increase scoring. Everyone is recognizing fans want scoring and offense. MLB is awesome but unfortunately no one is really excited about a pitching duel anymore. Fans enjoy and show up for the Bonds vs McGuire vs Sosa home run record days. The MLB was rumored to have juiced the balls in recent years. If that isn't true well they should consider it lol. Even today teams with analytics are shifting all over the place creating even more defense and less offense. Yes, home runs are up but that still doesn't seem to help. More scoring and faster games are needed.
Thanks for the article. Great stuff.
Good point about more offense in all sports. Luckily the Yankees and Red Sox are both good again. That will help rating this year in the playoffs.
Great article. I too - have been a lifelong baseball fan, and absolutely love the sport and also find it a bit disheartening that the younger generations don't seem to be as intrigued by it. The biggest problem for baseball is kind of a double-edged sword - like you pointed out, the pace of play is what turns a lot of younger fans off, and as others have pointed out, "offense" is what seems to be leading the charge in popularity for football and basketball. Problem is, the more scoring in baseball, the more baserunners, the more pitches are thrown, the longer the games are. So on one hand, a bunch of home runs and 10-8 final scores like the "steroid era" may increase the excitement, but the games will take even longer. Shorten the games, and the intrigue may grow for a while, but eventually the lack of offense could still turn those fans' off.
I'm not sure if I have a solution either, but one thing that has made the NBA much more exciting is all of the off-season free agent stuff. MLB had their quietest off-season in decades this past year, and they need to follow the lead of the NBA and NFL and go back to generating a bunch of intrigue and excitement over their free agency, just like these other sports. Otherwise, they will just continue to fall behind both in popularity. Great article!
Thanks. As you said, the nba free agency is so exciting. Maybe Bryce Harper will change that this winter.