Author Topic: Why is "The National Pastime" only the 3rd most popular sport? (Read 2935 times)

LoveAngelos · « **Topic Start:** January 11, 2018, 04:48:10 PM »

Has being consumed by greed----I mean assuming players and owners are consumed with greed---caused it ruination.
I grew up with teachers bringing a TV into the classroom so us youngins could watch the played in daylight World Series. Since then generations of young fans know the WS as something night owls watch.

HalfSmokes · « **Reply #1:** January 11, 2018, 04:53:31 PM »

Quote from: LoveAngelos on January 11, 2018, 04:48:10 PM

Has being consumed by greed----I mean assuming players and owners are consumed with greed---caused it ruination.
I grew up with teachers bringing a TV into the classroom so us youngins could watch the played in daylight World Series. Since then generations of young fans know the WS as something night owls watch.

I for one won't let my daughters watch a game until players agree to work for minimum wage and work the concessions when not playing just like in the glory days

LoveAngelos · « **Reply #2:** January 11, 2018, 05:00:03 PM »

Wouldn't it be great to buy a hot dog from Bryce Harper. I'm going to run down to the bank tomorrow and apply for a loan.

They can make all the money they want without care whether interest in the sport will dry up and it appears they are doing a good job of it. I don't blame them for not caring because they are getting theirs now.

imref · « **Reply #3:** January 11, 2018, 05:09:53 PM »

Quote from: LoveAngelos on January 11, 2018, 04:48:10 PM

Has being consumed by greed----I mean assuming players and owners are consumed with greed---caused it ruination.
I grew up with teachers bringing a TV into the classroom so us youngins could watch the played in daylight World Series. Since then generations of young fans know the WS as something night owls watch.

How is that any different than any other sport? FWIW, my kids probably wouldn't watch baseball unless I forced them to watch it. The game is too slow, and there aren't enough stars. For them it's the NBA first, NFL 2nd, Baseball third. The subtleties of baseball strategy don't appeal to the video game generation.

However, they will watch playoff baseball. Regular season baseball, with the long schedule, and slow games, doesn't have the appeal of the other sports.

Slateman · « **Reply #4:** January 11, 2018, 05:10:57 PM »

Greed

Meanwhile ever other sport is raking in cash too. freaking retarded logic.

Baseball is Life · « **Reply #5:** January 11, 2018, 05:28:12 PM »

It's not the money. It's TV. It's no coincidence that the rise of other sports (especially football) happened around the same time as the spread of TV. Baseball is just not that good on TV for the average sports fan.

varoadking · « **Reply #6:** January 11, 2018, 05:33:10 PM »

Even Stanley Kubrick couldn't get me to watch an NBA game.

imref · « **Reply #7:** January 11, 2018, 05:33:21 PM »

Quote from: Baseball is Life on January 11, 2018, 05:28:12 PM

It's not the money. It's TV. It's no coincidence that the rise of other sports (especially football) happened around the same time as the spread of TV. Baseball is just not that good on TV for the average sports fan.

Regular season baseball - yes. Playoff baseball does just fine.

imref · « **Reply #8:** January 11, 2018, 05:34:10 PM »

Quote from: varoadking on January 11, 2018, 05:33:10 PM

Even Stanley Kubrick couldn't get me to watch an NBA game.

I'll watch the last five minutes of an NBA game as that's all that usually matters. The end of the Wizards/Jazz last night was fun.

mitlen · « **Reply #9:** January 11, 2018, 05:41:09 PM »

Quote from: varoadking on January 11, 2018, 05:33:10 PM

Even Stanley Kubrick couldn't get me to watch an NBA game.

I had to google Stanley Kubrick.

That's a pretty psychedelic lineup.

Baseball is Life · « **Reply #10:** January 11, 2018, 05:41:47 PM »

Quote from: imref on January 11, 2018, 05:33:21 PM

Regular season baseball - yes. Playoff baseball does just fine.

I agree, but it's the pace of baseball that kills it as a TV activity. It's just too tempting to reach for the remote sometimes.

KnorrForYourMoney · « **Reply #11:** January 11, 2018, 06:59:54 PM »

Quote from: mitlen on January 11, 2018, 05:41:09 PM

I had to google Stanley Kubrick. That's a pretty psychedelic lineup.

What the hell?

mitlen · « **Reply #12:** January 11, 2018, 07:04:00 PM »

Quote from: KnorrForYourMoney on January 11, 2018, 06:59:54 PM

What the hell?

I don't spend a lot of time diggin' into art and artists. I was a DJ for a long time and never spent a lot of time studying who produced an album. I've probably seen most of the movies and was familiar with his name but puttin' the two together is for others. Gives people who think they're intelligent and "deep" something to do .... in case they make it to Jeopardy. Different strokes for different folks.

hotshot · « **Reply #13:** January 11, 2018, 07:31:59 PM »

Quote from: Baseball is Life on January 11, 2018, 05:41:47 PM

I agree, but it's the pace of baseball that kills it as a TV activity. It's just too tempting to reach for the remote sometimes.

Interesting that American pro football is the only one of the top three totally unable to export its product. Truth be told, maybe 10% of Brits living in London find American football even the slightest bit interesting. Baseball, to a great extent, and basketball to a lesser extent have pro leagues around the world.

varoadking · « **Reply #14:** January 11, 2018, 08:20:01 PM »

Quote from: mitlen on January 11, 2018, 05:41:09 PM

I had to google Stanley Kubrick. That's a pretty psychedelic lineup.

A reference to A Clockwork Orange where the guy had his eyes forcibly propped open...

I couldn't recall the character's name...

imref · « **Reply #15:** January 11, 2018, 10:04:42 PM »

Quote from: hotshot on January 11, 2018, 07:31:59 PM

Interesting that American pro football is the only one of the top three totally unable to export its product. Truth be told, maybe 10% of Brits living in London find American football even the slightest bit interesting. Baseball, to a great extent, and basketball to a lesser extent have pro leagues around the world.

Baseball is exciting compared to cricket

Vega · « **Reply #16:** January 12, 2018, 03:47:52 AM »

Quote from: imref on January 11, 2018, 10:04:42 PM

Baseball is exciting compared to cricket

But baseball has 100% fewer little wooden thingies than cricket.

KnorrForYourMoney · « **Reply #17:** January 12, 2018, 05:54:52 AM »

Quote from: mitlen on January 11, 2018, 07:04:00 PM

I don't spend a lot of time diggin' into art and artists. I was a DJ for a long time and never spent a lot of time studying who produced an album. I've probably seen most of the movies and was familiar with his name but puttin' the two together is for others. Gives people who think they're intelligent and "deep" something to do .... in case they make it to Jeopardy. Different strokes for different folks.

I was just surprised because I know freak-all about movie trivia myself, but to me Kubrick is one of those transcendent figures like Spielberg or Hitchcock.

rileyn · « **Reply #18:** January 12, 2018, 06:55:59 AM »

Baseball's fan base is older than the others. The sport is losing generations of new fans partly because very few kids on the east coast have watched a World Series game past the 3rd inning in 15 years. The games start at 8:30 and end after midnight most times.

To go along with the above point, baseball is not the trendy/hot sport. African Americans have almost completely stopped playing and so pop-culture-wise, the sport lacks all cache. This could be due to pace of play, or lack of perceived athleticism needed to play the sport.

The rising popularity of lacrosse. Where I live in Howard County, the kids play lacrosse, not baseball.

Gambling! The rise of football was fueled by how great a sport it is to gamble on. Fantasy football is way more popular than fantasy baseball.

Unwritten rules are lame.

aspenbubba · « **Reply #19:** January 12, 2018, 07:57:12 AM »

My grandkids play hockey and get up early in the morning to watch the men's and women's teams in the Olympics on TV. Under no circumstance will they voluntarily go to a Nat's game. Too boring and slow.

dcpatti · « **Reply #20:** January 12, 2018, 08:05:15 AM »

Quote from: rileyn on January 12, 2018, 06:55:59 AM

To go along with the above point, baseball is not the trendy/hot sport. African Americans have almost completely stopped playing and so pop-culture-wise, the sport lacks all cache. This could be due to pace of play, or lack of perceived athleticism needed to play the sport.

This article covers some of the reasons that poor black kids don’t start playing baseball (hint: it’s money). http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/ct-black-baseball-spt-0925-20160923-story.html

My friends’ 12-year-old daughter plays on a travel ball team and it costs them about $12k/season for dues, equipment, and travel expenses. Yikes.

HalfSmokes · « **Reply #21:** January 12, 2018, 08:12:16 AM »

Quote from: dcpatti on January 12, 2018, 08:05:15 AM

This article covers some of the reasons that poor black kids don’t start playing baseball (hint: it’s money). http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/ct-black-baseball-spt-0925-20160923-story.html

My friends’ 12-year-old daughter plays on a travel ball team and it costs them about $12k/season for dues, equipment, and travel expenses. Yikes.

Most travel sports aren't much different. The travel team for our daughters rec soccer league costs thousands and charges a $100 fee to apply for financial assistance. Kids sports are a huge business because everyone's kid is above average and has to play other above average kids at fancy complexes in other states. Besides, think of all the partial scholarships your 100k investment might get you.

hotshot · « **Reply #22:** January 12, 2018, 08:47:59 AM »

Quote from: imref on January 11, 2018, 10:04:42 PM

Baseball is exciting compared to cricket

Cricket's actually not bad to watch at all. Once you understand the rules and strategy.

dcpatti · « **Reply #23:** January 12, 2018, 09:41:40 AM »

Quote from: HalfSmokes on January 12, 2018, 08:12:16 AM

Most travel sports aren't much different. The travel team for our daughters rec soccer league costs thousands and charges a $100 fee to apply for financial assistance. Kids sports are a huge business because everyone's kid is above average and has to play other above average kids at fancy complexes in other states. Besides, think of all the partial scholarships your 100k investment might get you.

I do have a friend in Australia whose 13-year-old kid is being scouted by FIFA. The kid's nickname is "Meal Ticket."

spidernat · « **Reply #24:** January 12, 2018, 11:06:48 AM »

Quote from: mitlen on January 11, 2018, 07:04:00 PM

Gives people who think they're intelligent and "deep" something to do .... in case they make it to Jeopardy.