MLB's Time To Shine?

[ChaseB]

I don't think it's really true anymore, but I'm curious if anyone else ever felt this way as a kid or at any point where when the NHL/NBA season ends, it felt like baseball was the only game in town now for at least a month. As a kid I would call it the "dead zone" since I would be at home during summer vacation watching SportsCenter all morning and realizing by the third time I was watching the same hour of highlights that there really wasn't much going on beyond baseball. And I say that as someone who loves baseball, it just felt like at that point even with the NBA/NHL drafts and college and NFL build-ups, it was like baseball's true moment to shine up through at least the All-Star game.

This year is not the best example of a dead zone since we have the Olympic trials and Euro 2024 going on right now (plus the NBA Draft tomorrow), and it's probably outdated in general since MLS continues to grow in popularity and there's not really a "big 4 leagues" feel anymore to the sports media landscape (at least in the US).

But yeah, was thinking about it this morning and wanted to ask y'all if you felt like this was MLB's true time to shine/the only game in town. Or maybe it's a diff part of the year some of you all think about as a sports dead zone.

[Blzer]

Re: MLB's Time To Shine?

Because there are games every day, I don't see how any baseball fan can consider this time a dead zone. The only day that is where I jones for action is the day after the All Star Game, heh.

Personally, my only dead zone of the year is right after the Super Bowl. Previously we had the AAF/XFL the following weekend, but now even that has a month delay till the season begins. I'm not into March Madness, either.

Back to baseball, as I've said over and again about this sport, no number of pace-of-play rule changes will bring incomers to the sport who weren't fans to begin with. Just because it's the only game in town doesn't mean people necessitate turning to it.

Going to a ballgame? Sure, but inflation is making it a real luxury item for many and they are finding their other venues.

All I'm saying is whatever attention it draws this time of year isn't likely any different than other years. Whatever happens, happens. You're right too that the Olympics will steer away a lot of attention.

But hey, this is a great time of year for me. I'm game!

EDIT: When you said "time to shine," I thought you meant opportunity to step up and attract new fans like it hasn't before. Now as I re-read it, it just sounds like you're asking whether this time is baseball's in any given year or not. Sorry if my post doesn't end up sounding like a response to that.

[Ghost Of The Year]

Re: MLB's Time To Shine?

I enjoy baseball year round 24/7/365 but it doesn't have to be the only game in town ,in my opinion, to shine. I'm almost as passionate about football, but come October, in the heart of football season, baseball in the fall really shines to me, even though a third of the league is dead. To me, June/July is the time for the MiLB to shine, even with MLB still taking a huge chunk of spotlight with all-star festivities.

[countryboy]

Re: MLB's Time To Shine?

I guess in regards to the overall landscape of sports, this is the time to shine for baseball with the NFL/NBA being done with playing games, but then again the NBA has the draft and summer league and NFL is constantly promoted year round on the major talking head shows.

I think baseball really shines at 3 points in its calendar season, Opening Day, All Star Game, and Postseason baseball. Outside of that, I think it falls in line behind other sports in regards to National attention and attention from non-baseball enthusiasts.

For me personally, baseball shines year round. I follow Spring Training, regular season, postseason, Arizona Fall League and then the offseason closely. But baseball is by far my favorite sport and the only major sport where I have a genuine rooting interest.

[reyes the roof]

Re: MLB's Time To Shine?

Personally, my only dead zone of the year is right after the Super Bowl. Previously we had the AAF/XFL the following weekend, but now even that has a month delay till the season begins. I'm not into March Madness, either.

The time from the day after the Super Bowl to the start of Spring Training is my off season. After watching probably about 140 Mets games and football all day on most Saturday and Sundays in the fall I need a break

[DrJones]

Re: MLB's Time To Shine?

But yeah, was thinking about it this morning and wanted to ask y'all if you felt like this was MLB's true time to shine/the only game in town. Or maybe it's a diff part of the year some of you all think about as a sports dead zone.

To me, it doesn't seem like baseball gets much of a bump of national interest during July/August. At least, not nearly as much as it used to. It feels like the NFL and NBA (and the NHL here in Canada) increasingly sucks the oxygen from other sports, even during their respective offseasons. I'd be curious to see the July/August TV ratings for a.) MLB national broadcasts, b.) local broadcasts for playoff contenders, and c.) local broadcasts for also-rans.

[Picci]

Re: MLB's Time To Shine?

It's slowly moving up I believe.

For one reason, take a look at the standings. Even though many of the hard-core fan detest the amount of teams eligible to play in Post Season, how many times can you remember going into the All Star Break with so many teams still in it? There's really only a handful of teams completely out it.

Second, the decision to add the MLB Draft to All Star Weekend. Lol, yes I know it pales compare to the other drafts but to baseball nerds like me, we get to ingest it all as we head into the break. I'm already looking around the #19 pick!

Thirdly, although international games will continue to grow, it's the cornfields in Iowa and the newly played game at Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Alabama which makes it shine apart from the other sports.

[Ghost Of The Year]

Re: MLB's Time To Shine?

It's slowly moving up I believe.

For one reason, take a look at the standings. Even though many of the hard-core fan detest the amount of teams eligible to play in Post Season, how many times can you remember going into the All Star Break with so many teams still in it? There's really only a handful of teams completely out it.

Off topic, this a thing grinding my gears right now. Too many teams are falling out range of the division lead and seem to be okay with a wild card. So what I would rather see are 4 divisions instead of 8. Two 7 team divisions and two 8 team divisions. You would play all the other 14 teams in your league the same amount of times, to keep schedule balance.


Okay, back to baseballs time to shine talk. Tho I'm still eagerly awaiting October as my favorite baseball time.