MLB's Issue in popularity

[OregonDucks]

This was brought up in a local sports radio show..

MLB has slipped into the third spot, Hell, maybe even the fourth spot on the sports popularity spectrum in the USA. Behind NFL, NBA, and yes, shockingly, Soccer.

Why? Well maybe it is due to the necessity to change the game up a bit, make it more up tempo and not so long. In a society where we all want instant gratification now, its understandable why the current generation of sports viewers would like to see baseball be more fast paced. But you can only do so much to speed the game of baseball up without jeopardizing the integrity and tradition of the game itself.

But that isn't where the problems lies within baseball. The game of how it is played is not the reason it has fallen from the top spot to the 4th spot.

Its marketing.

Think about this, and I understand I am on the baseball forum right now so many here will have better knowledge of the game and teams then most, but do you think your average sports fan can name a star player on each team? Name me the starting lineup for the Yankees, Red Sox, Giants, Cardinals, etc....I don't think many could.

baseball has become so regionalized it doesn't market itself nationally. For instance, I live in Oregon. I get the Mariners on my local sports network ROOT SPORTS, but other than that, the only other baseball I get is what is broadcasted on the big network, which is the same 4? big name, big market teams, Boston, New York, Los Angeles, San Fran. Sprinkle in occasional Detroit and National games.

MLB, if you look at it actually has some exciting young stars. But they don't market them nationally. Hell, the entire Cubs roster is young and exciting to watch. PLUS who doesn't want to see the Cubs win the world series, maybe besides St. Louis Cardinal fans? Yet MLB has not marketed the Cubs or their story nationally during the dog day slow months of sport Summer.

Look at Mike Trout, a colorful (albeit douche Bryce Harper) Machado, Stanton, Altuve, Mookie Betts, etc. These are all young stars that are NOT getting the exposure or marketing they deserve and need to make the sport of baseball relevant across the country again.

It's not about speeding up the game, it's about marketing young players, teams, across the country for people to get to know, understand, and root for.

 

[nathans8823]

Sad thing is... I'm a huge Cubs fan but I can not watch many baseball games from the start to finish its not as exciting anymore as it used to be. Plus I think it hurts that it is a 162 game season.

 

[nathans8823]

This was brought up in a local sports radio show..

MLB has slipped into the third spot, Hell, maybe even the fourth spot on the sports popularity spectrum in the USA. Behind NFL, NBA, and yes, shockingly, Soccer.

Why? Well maybe it is due to the necessity to change the game up a bit, make it more up tempo and not so long. In a society where we all want instant gratification now, its understandable why the current generation of sports viewers would like to see baseball be more fast paced. But you can only do so much to speed the game of baseball up without jeopardizing the integrity and tradition of the game itself.

But that isn't where the problems lies within baseball. The game of how it is played is not the reason it has fallen from the top spot to the 4th spot.

Its marketing.

Think about this, and I understand I am on the baseball forum right now so many here will have better knowledge of the game and teams then most, but do you think your average sports fan can name a star player on each team? Name me the starting lineup for the Yankees, Red Sox, Giants, Cardinals, etc....I don't think many could.

baseball has become so regionalized it doesn't market itself nationally. For instance, I live in Oregon. I get the Mariners on my local sports network ROOT SPORTS, but other than that, the only other baseball I get is what is broadcasted on the big network, which is the same 4? big name, big market teams, Boston, New York, Los Angeles, San Fran. Sprinkle in occasional Detroit and National games.

MLB, if you look at it actually has some exciting young stars. But they don't market them nationally. Hell, the entire Cubs roster is young and exciting to watch. PLUS who doesn't want to see the Cubs win the world series, maybe besides St. Louis Cardinal fans? Yet MLB has not marketed the Cubs or their story nationally during the dog day slow months of sport Summer.

Look at Mike Trout, a colorful (albeit douche Bryce Harper) Machado, Stanton, Altuve, Mookie Betts, etc. These are all young stars that are NOT getting the exposure or marketing they deserve and need to make the sport of baseball relevant across the country again.

It's not about speeding up the game, it's about marketing young players, teams, across the country for people to get to know, understand, and root for.

Extremely great points though

 

[OregonDucks]

Sad thing is... I'm a huge Cubs fan but I can not watch many baseball games from the start to finish its not as exciting anymore as it used to be. Plus I think it hurts that it is a 162 game season.

I agree with you. I do think there needs to be some change to the game, to speed it up, but not nearly as drastic as some indicate.

The 162 games does hurt the sport, but at the same time, MLB should OWN the summer months because there is literally nothing else going on, so they should capitalize off of this and try to do their best to market and own the Summer.

Give a reason for people to tune in daily for a baseball game. Be it marketing a player, team? I don't know, but find a reason.

If it weren't for WGN, I probably wouldn't have ever seen a cubs game this year. MLBs TV deal is atrocious.

 

[OregonDucks]

Promote players, roster, teams nationally besides the same big 4 market teams. Lets see a Rockies vs Phillies game. Let see a Twins vs Blue Jays game, Indians vs Orioles, etc.

Unless you live in an MLB team market, you see nothing but Yankees, Red Sox, Dodgers, Giants, little bit of Nationals and Cardinals.

 

[navamind]

MLB's national ratings are pretty crappy, but MLB's doing very well in regional ratings. ESPN and FOX do a pretty terrible job of presenting baseball games.

 

[navamind]

also, MLB.tv is totally worth the money IMO.

 

[OregonDucks]

also, MLB.tv is totally worth the money IMO.

It wont make the league money, because the league hasn't promoted itself on a national stage to gain peoples interest to invest in MLB.tv.

Now if the NFL or NBA did something like MLB.tv they would get subscribers because they have marketed their league on a national level.

Like you said, MLB does well in regional ratings, where cities or regions have a baseball team, but do poorly on the national scale. Because regionally people may know their teams, but nationally they don't know anyone.

Although I am not a baseball follower or a huge fan, I could not name you more than 2 players on the Red Sox, more than 2 players on the Dodgers, more than 2 players on the Nationals, more than 3 players on the Giants, and I tune in regularly to Sports Center and shows alike. I can maybe name you 1 player on each team. And that is mostly thanks to highlights.

In the 90s I could name you the starting lineup to the Indians, Braves, Mariners, Yankees, and even name a handful of players from other teams.

 

[KnuteRoc]

Not just the marketing, but their choices in broadcasters. Used to be able to see a Saturday game or two on the three main networks, now nothing. If you don't have ESPN or the FoxSports regional cable channels, forget about baseball.

I have had MLB.TV and it was decent for watching my team (Yanks) because I'm out of market, but in a sense, it's overload to try and watch the mosaic or more than one game at a time unless you're constantly swapping feeds. Then you're still subject to blackouts from the local level, unless they've changed it since I had a sub.

The ticket prices have something to do with it too, though they do have more cost-effective options than does the NFL for example. But when it costs so much to take the family to a ballgame, you're pricing yourself out of a significant pool of fans.

I don't mind the game length, the season length could be an issue for some but I've never had a problem with it.

 

[OregonDucks]

Not just the marketing, but their choices in broadcasters. Used to be able to see a Saturday game or two on the three main networks, now nothing. If you don't have ESPN or the FoxSports regional cable channels, forget about baseball.

I have had MLB.TV and it was decent for watching my team (Yanks) because I'm out of market, but in a sense, it's overload to try and watch the mosaic or more than one game at a time unless you're constantly swapping feeds. Then you're still subject to blackouts from the local level, unless they've changed it since I had a sub.

The ticket prices have something to do with it too, though they do have more cost-effective options than does the NFL for example. But when it costs so much to take the family to a ballgame, you're pricing yourself out of a significant pool of fans.

I don't mind the game length, the season length could be an issue for some but I've never had a problem with it.

Very good point. It may make zero profiting sense, but to lower ticket prices and vending prices would be a huge lure to the ballpark. I looked into a trip to Seattle to watch the mariners last Summer. I think with just one kid, two adults, I was looking at a $300 day when you include everything from gas, food, tickets, etc. and that was probably cutting it on the low end.

 

[KnuteRoc]

Very good point. It may make zero profiting sense, but to lower ticket prices and vending prices would be a huge lure to the ballpark. I looked into a trip to Seattle to watch the mariners last Summer. I think with just one kid, two adults, I was looking at a $300 day when you include everything from gas, food, tickets, etc. and that was probably cutting it on the low end.

A few years back I read an article about the lack of black youth being exposed to the game via little league and the like... so they wanted to foster interest as a lot of players are coming from Latino countries.

Yet, I've seen little movement there and it seems like everyone expects you to have cable/dish or they don't care to market towards you. NASCAR has done some of the same with their splits between NBCSports channel, and Fox or FS1. Some people then are left high & dry midseason from the switch.

I still love Baseball, but I hate ESPN & their broadcasters. That leaves very little options to catch a game unless you watch a pseudo game via CBS Sportsline or other website that gives you the play by play. It's a bit less interesting to 'watch' a game that way.

 

[The Derski]

I almost want to say the season has too many games but at the same time if the schedule is altered it will make just about every current record untouchable and every comparison will be questioned even more so than it already is... We already have enough people that think baseball pre-color television is the best there ever was.

 

[SlinkyRedfoot]

Baseball is a slower-paced and from a spectator's standpoint, a more cerebral game. I think the biggest problem facing MLB is Generation ADD's inability to sit down and shut the fuck up.

 

[SlinkyRedfoot]

also, MLB.tv is totally worth the money IMO.

Dollar for dollar, MLB.tv is the best entertainment value in my world.

 

[SlinkyRedfoot]

Behind NFL, NBA, and yes, shockingly, Soccer.

Nationally speaking, NFL is by far the most popular sport and I might be inclined to agree about NBA, but I'm not sure.

If you think soccer is any where near as popular in the US as MLB is, you probably have Asperger's.

 

[Cyder]

This was brought up in a local sports radio show..

MLB has slipped into the third spot, Hell, maybe even the fourth spot on the sports popularity spectrum in the USA. Behind NFL, NBA, and yes, shockingly, Soccer.

Why? Well maybe it is due to the necessity to change the game up a bit, make it more up tempo and not so long. In a society where we all want instant gratification now, its understandable why the current generation of sports viewers would like to see baseball be more fast paced. But you can only do so much to speed the game of baseball up without jeopardizing the integrity and tradition of the game itself.

But that isn't where the problems lies within baseball. The game of how it is played is not the reason it has fallen from the top spot to the 4th spot.

Its marketing.

Think about this, and I understand I am on the baseball forum right now so many here will have better knowledge of the game and teams then most, but do you think your average sports fan can name a star player on each team? Name me the starting lineup for the Yankees, Red Sox, Giants, Cardinals, etc....I don't think many could.

baseball has become so regionalized it doesn't market itself nationally. For instance, I live in Oregon. I get the Mariners on my local sports network ROOT SPORTS, but other than that, the only other baseball I get is what is broadcasted on the big network, which is the same 4? big name, big market teams, Boston, New York, Los Angeles, San Fran. Sprinkle in occasional Detroit and National games.

MLB, if you look at it actually has some exciting young stars. But they don't market them nationally. Hell, the entire Cubs roster is young and exciting to watch. PLUS who doesn't want to see the Cubs win the world series, maybe besides St. Louis Cardinal fans? Yet MLB has not marketed the Cubs or their story nationally during the dog day slow months of sport Summer.

Look at Mike Trout, a colorful (albeit douche Bryce Harper) Machado, Stanton, Altuve, Mookie Betts, etc. These are all young stars that are NOT getting the exposure or marketing they deserve and need to make the sport of baseball relevant across the country again.

It's not about speeding up the game, it's about marketing young players, teams, across the country for people to get to know, understand, and root for.

Every year MLB makes more and more money so they're not all that concerned. Ratings for the playoffs and all star game are down but there's also more rounds to the playoffs and it's generally a regional sport.

My problem with baseball is the lack of old school strategy due to not having benches. Every team is carrying so many pitchers the manager has 3 or 4 guys on the bench. Last night the Astros had 3 on the bench. You can't pinch run, double switch etc.

 

[Guy Incognito]

Baseball has always been a regional sport. Leagues like the NBA and NFL recognized that they needed to make a national appeal to grow their sports. Baseball has been slow to adapt similarly.

I know that bad NBA teams market the hell out of games where a great team is coming to town. "Come see LeBron put a whupping on the Sixers!" I don't see much of that from MLB, outside of MLB Network/MLB.tv.

 

[Guy Incognito]

Every year MLB makes more and more money so they're not all that concerned. Ratings for the playoffs and all star game are down but there's also more rounds to the playoffs and it's generally a regional sport.

My problem with baseball is the lack of old school strategy due to not having benches. Every team is carrying so many pitchers the manager has 3 or 4 guys on the bench. Last night the Astros had 3 on the bench. You can't pinch run, double switch etc.

Well, also, there's just not an emphasis at the lower levels of "defense above all", which would be the only way you'd get double switches in a DH game. Otherwise, your best hitters are likely already in the game, so there's no point in pulling one.

 

[SlinkyRedfoot]

Well maybe it is due to the necessity to change the game up a bit, make it more up tempo and not so long.

I agree that baseball is a slower paced game, but the average MLB game at 2 hr 56 min is actually shorter than the average 3 hr 5 min NFL game.

Ironically, with as fast paced as an NFL game seems, this WSJ article says that the average NLF game has about 11 minutes of actual play, with the other 2 hr and 54 min being taken up by replays and commercials. It'd be interesting to see a similar study on MLB games - I'm assuming it wouldn't be much different; a small percentage of the 3 hrs taken up by actual on-field action.

 

[SlinkyRedfoot]

"Come see LeBron put a whupping on the Sixers!"

That's funny. It's true, but it's still funny.