The Decline Of MLB

[VanCitySportsGuy]

If you clicked on this thread, you’re probably a baseball fan like I am. I can’t help but feel interest in baseball is declining.

The ratings for the weekend games on Fox aren’t that good, attendance is down, and baseball topics rarely trend on twitter. Baseball in general isn’t a very “hip “ sport. MLB does basically nothing to promote its own players and for some stupid reason, they don’t allow videos on YouTube. We have issues like how Selig (and the players) don’t want to expand the use of replay. We live in an instant gratification kind of society and baseball goes completely against this. Certain games can take a long time to complete. And the big elephant in the room is the broken economic system of baseball. Unless you’re a diehard fan why would you pay money to watch the Jays, Pirates, O’s, Royals, etc… Teams in baseball are often eliminated from the playoff race well before the final 2 months of the season.

[rsox]

Re: The Decline Of MLB

The ratings on Fox Saturday Baseball are not that good because 1) they only show regional games rather than the best game of the day and 2) the Fox broadcasters suck.

The people who follow twitter have no lives of their own that they have to follow someone elses by either being parked in front of a computer 24 hrs a day or glued to their cell phone. The Baseball season is a long grind and the players don't have a lot of time to tell you when they take a crap.

Instant replay is an issue that MLB does need to address and expand upon. Selig is out as commissioner in a couple of years so even if he doesn't want it maybe the next one will. Who needs youtube when you can catch videos on mlb.com and espn.com.

For every Jays, Pirates, Orioles and Royals you have a Lions, Browns, Rams, Raiders, or Nets, Wizards, Timberwolves, or Clippers. Every sport has it's lame-duck teams, this is not exclusive to MLB.

[Blzer]

Re: The Decline Of MLB

I want to partly blame hitters, as many of them just don't know how to bat anymore. They grew up being able to muscle out some pitches because of how they were spoonfed to them outside of the major leagues, and now they're getting up hear breaking bats and rolling over left and right when they're figured out. Hitting is not what it used to be, which is why you see the young Rays getting no-hit three times in a calendar year. It's kind of embarrassing actually.

I don't think the MLB is hitting any tangible decline, but it certainly is sad when I go to PETCO Park, the house of the contending team in the NL West, and they are only holding 11,000 people in attendance in a divisional match-up.

[Moojenowski]

Re: The Decline Of MLB

I personally love this year's pitcher friendly MLB... I am lucky to be a Twins fan with a brand new stadium that is selling out game after game (granted I live in Florida and I can't utilize my season tickets as much as I want to).

It is definitely a pitcher dominant year so far, heck, even Mauer is slumping (just above .300 *Gasp*).

I think baseball is as good as ever, the Yankees have spent their way to get back to where they used to be (and where their fans expect), the rest of the AL East is fun to watch (and will be more fun when Boston decides to collectively get off the DL). The AL Central once again has a great race, and the AL West has the Rangers leading, which is fantastic.

The NL East is going to be a blast to follow, the Central has surprises (Dusty Baker being a successful manager?), and the West will fly under the radar but produce a quality playoff team.

I, personally, can't get enough of this season so far... and all these trade rumors have me refreshing mlbtraderumors.com at an unhealthy rate.

As far as the FOX ratings, I agree with what rsox had to say, the broadcasts are regional and the broadcasters are absolutely atrocious.

[Blzer]

Re: The Decline Of MLB

I understand enjoying pitcher dominance, but I think it comes at the price of hitters being awful. Watching the way players fly off the plate like it's going to hit them, when it nicks the inside corner for a strike, makes me shake my head in disgust. It just befuddles me how much the overall talent of the game has changed, and it's not just because of steroids.

[Moojenowski]

Re: The Decline Of MLB

I understand enjoying pitcher dominance, but I think it comes at the price of hitters being awful. Watching the way players fly off the plate like it's going to hit them, when it nicks the inside corner for a strike, makes me shake my head in disgust. It just befuddles me how much the overall talent of the game has changed, and it's not just because of steroids.

I will forever remember Strasburg's first start... Lastings Milledge's reaction to the first curve he saw... Backs out dramatically, then smiles at Stras like, "holy hell, that thing is nasty."

I watch the Twins daily, as well as at least three other games at the same time... I can say with confidence that the Twins will stay in the box on those close pitches and fight them off if they are close (maybe not Hudson, he is a big fan of shooting his butt way back and hands up as if it ran way inside).

[Blzer]

Re: The Decline Of MLB

I will forever remember Strasburg's first start... Lastings Milledge's reaction to the first curve he saw... Backs out dramatically, then smiles at Stras like, "holy hell, that thing is nasty."

I watch the Twins daily, as well as at least three other games at the same time... I can say with confidence that the Twins will stay in the box on those close pitches and fight them off if they are close (maybe not Hudson, he is a big fan of shooting his butt way back and hands up as if it ran way inside).

I wouldn't say that all teams do it. Obviously there are a sleu of players in the majors pre-2006 or so that look great at the plate.

Obviously the decline just isn't about little long ball, there was also just a lot more fan interest back when (I suppose stadium ticket prices were cheaper too). I just made a post in another thread about watching a Baseball Seasons episode on the 2001 year, and even looking back nine years you can see how much the game has changed. Be it strategically, atmospherically, or talent level... it was just a different game.

[SPTO]

Re: The Decline Of MLB

Well as far as baseball ratings go the ratings are actually quite good. It's not longer a monster like it used to be on a weekly "game of the week" basis like it used to be. You can blame that on the broadcast deal with CBS in 1990 which was meant to increase baseball coverage but it crippled it because CBS didn't treat the property that well until late in the season and even then had poorer production values then NBC/ABC before them. MLB then shot themselves in the foot with their regional plan with "The Baseball Network" where ABC and NBC shared the broadcast rights on regional coverage which was so haphazard that no one knew when games would be on. FOX at first did try a national game of the week format but it didn't work out so well so they flipped to a regional format.

That being said the sport is more of a regional TV sport now as ratings are UP for the individual teams' broadcasts and you have the synergy of the team owning the broadcasters that air the games. Not every team has that set up but i'd say about 1/3rd to half the teams in MLB have that set up.

Next, the dominance of pitching this year is a change from what we've seen for at least the last 15 years and it's a welcome change. Attendance is actually up in most markets as attendance figures are skyrocketing. MLB is making money hand over fist at the gate and i'm not even including their use of the internet. Sure they don't utilize Youtube but that's because they were the pioneers of using internet video as a content provider as they were able to grab a base audience who paid money to watch the games online. Their model in relation to the internet is the envy of the other sports leagues. The MLB-N is also on a much stronger footing then the almighty NFL as their network is co-owned by the carriers that air it so they've got TONS of coverage.

The game in a nutshell may not have as wide a coverage in terms of overall awareness but its penetration to those that pay attention is deep. The sport is flourishing and NOT declining despite your claims.

[TheMatrix31]

Re: The Decline Of MLB

Sabremetrics have absolutely destroyed baseball.

[LingeringRegime]

Re: The Decline Of MLB

Baseball was my first love.

The use of PED's in MLB has pretty much killed off my interest. Seeing A-Rod win a title last year was sickening to me. That is quite a message that is being taught to our young people. Roid up, then "confess your mistake", and get a slap on the wrist, then come back and win a championship. No thanks.

[Tomahawk]

Re: The Decline Of MLB

http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/37987314/ns/sports-baseball/

[dalnet22]

Re: The Decline Of MLB

I used to avoid Sportscenter when the Cubs lost. Now, I don't care. Perhaps it's because I realize that these people get paid millions to play a game. I guess I grew up.

I'll be more interested when player contracts become non-guaranteed like in the NFL.

[ehh]

Re: The Decline Of MLB

Sabremetrics have absolutely destroyed baseball.

My old man was reading an article the other day that referenced VORP. He said, "what the **** is that" and immediately put the magazine down.

[jeremym480]

Re: The Decline Of MLB

The Yankee's payroll has absolutely destroyed baseball.

Fixed.

[Jgainsey]

Re: The Decline Of MLB

Sabremetrics have absolutely destroyed baseball.

Really?

Would you care to elaborate?