I loved baseball as a kid, played it and watched it religiously, but I couldn't tell you the last time I watched a full 9 inning game. I couldn't even tell you who won the World Series last year. My love for other sports isn't nearly as diminished. And I don't see kids getting interested unless they have parents or friends who are into it.
Of course, it doesn't help that I have been a Mets fan for my whole life. Easy to lose interest when your team is a joke.
Baseball seems alive and well in Toronto. A lot of it probably has to do with all the hype surrounding this year's team. There would probably be more interest had the Jays not gotten off to such a dismal start to the season.
The pace of Baseball is it's biggest problem. But Golf is still around, so I think we're fine.
After the strike, I said fuck baseball and haven't looked back. Baseball is boring as fuck. It's sustained by the boomer generation, and there is going to be some serious TV contract negotiations coming soon, which will theoretically shrink the salaries of the mlb players. Baseball attendance has become the picnic crowd, or as Boston calls them, "pink hats" that go to games for the stadium atmosphere, text surrounded by the illusion of being a part of something/a social event, relative crowd hum, and sing Sweet Caroline at the 7th inning.
Baseball attendance has become the picnic crowd, or as Boston calls them, "pink hats" that go to games for the stadium atmosphere, text surrounded by the illusion of being a part of something/a social event, relative crowd hum, and sing Sweet Caroline at the 7th inning.
True, but there are many diehards like myself just waiting for the team to suck long enough that the pink hats leave and we can actually acquire Red Sox tickets again. I used to go to 30 games a year in my early 20s. By the time they'd won their second World Series of this millennium, it had become impossible to get tickets except through the secondary market. The Red Sox will always have the heart of true Bostonians.
just spitballing here, but ive noticed that attention to baseball in the US drops CONSIDERABLY during and after a year where the team from the national league wins the world series.
i will confess that while the NL may be the more pure form of the game, all of the 'flaws' of the American League were brought in to draw the person seeking entertainment over sport.
the addition of the extra playoff spot was a watershed moment and made last years playoffs a far better product in more markets, but it's still got its work.
I'm not doubting that, but another thing is the tickets are so goddamn expensive they price out broke shmucks that would like to go to a few games on a regular basis during the season.
I MISS FANS THROWING D BATTERIES AT THE OPPOSING TEAM'S RIGHT FIELDER AT YANKEE STADIUM DAMN IT!
I'm not doubting that, but another thing is the tickets are so goddamn expensive they price out broke shmucks that would like to go to a few games on a regular basis during the season.
I MISS FANS THROWING D BATTERIES AT THE OPPOSING TEAM'S RIGHT FIELDER AT YANKEE STADIUM DAMN IT!
I fondly remember a Fenway outing where WEEI gave out "K" cards for a Pedro start. My drunken ruffian friends and I in the bleachers made paper airplanes out of ours and tossed them (mine actually did a 180 in the stands and hit some poor lady in the face???sorry lady). Within moments there were thousands of giant paper airplanes creating bedlam in the bleachers.
On another lovely summer evening, a few Mets fans were sitting in front of us holding up a Mets towel. We threw whatever we could get our hands on at them and the cops kicked them out for inciting the crowd. Not us for throwing shit at them. THEM.
Hey Justin, I know you don't live here anymore but just to let you know, Sox tickets aren't hard to get at all anymore. And it coincides with the team actually being entertaining again.
Not that I care much. When I was a kid I lived and died for the Red Sox and baseball in general. Would always be reading books about the Gashouse Gang, Shoeless Joe, Big Red Machine, etc ... played wiffle ball every day, litte league ... nowadays I can barely watch an MLB game unless it's the playoffs and even then mainly only if it's the Red Sox. I just got bored with the game and also lost interest after the steroids saga and moreso after the Red Sox turned into the Yankees.
Here in Seattle the NFL is #1 and our MLS team has slowly overtaken the #2 sport in the town or so it seems. We have a beautiful stadium that barely reaches 15k (to be generous) in attendance per game. Home runs hit empty seats and the cheapest ticket is $20+. Often times it feels like there are more 'bros' in the beer garden out past centerfield getting faded than people in their seats. A lot of it can be attributed to the overall success (or lack there of) over the past decade and the idiots in charge of the organization. They'd rather invest in things like the biggest TV screen ever installed in a stadium than put product on the field.
But for the most part I can't justify paying those ridiculous prices to watch a shitty product on the field. I'll stay home and watch it on TV, which I often do. I haven't been to a Mariners game in two seasons but I could tell you the score of last nights game.
Here in Seattle the NFL is #1 and our MLS team has slowly overtaken the #2 sport in the town or so it seems. We have a beautiful stadium that barely reaches 15k (to be generous) in attendance per game. Home runs hit empty seats and the cheapest ticket is $20+. Often times it feels like there are more 'bros' in the beer garden out past centerfield getting faded than people in their seats. A lot of it can be attributed to the overall success (or lack there of) over the past decade and the idiots in charge of the organization. They'd rather invest in things like the biggest TV screen ever installed in a stadium than put product on the field.
But for the most part I can't justify paying those ridiculous prices to watch a shitty product on the field. I'll stay home and watch it on TV, which I often do. I haven't been to a Mariners game in two seasons but I could tell you the score of last nights game.
:talib: :shitty:
i cant even begin to understand HOW or WHY..... but the seattle sounders [MLS] literally DOUBLES every other team in the league for attendance. talmbout an average of 40k+. last years avg attendance was 43,144! if they were in the mlb they would be second highest in the league, BARELY behind the dodgers but ahead of everyone else.
:grin:
can you shed some light as to how this could possibly be happening?
I have no clue either. Seattle does feel like soccer mom capitol of the US at times though.
Seattle Sounders games are crazy though... Everyone attending appears to be your polite ordinary school teachers, city librarians, county clerks, etc. - until the game starts - and then they turn into wannabe European hooligans chanting for injured players to die on the field. It's a trip... I've only been to two games and that was enough for me.
batmon
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People were not talkin about Soccer becoming the dominant American sport when the NASL came in.
Of course, it doesn't help that I have been a Mets fan for my whole life. Easy to lose interest when your team is a joke.
The pace of Baseball is it's biggest problem. But Golf is still around, so I think we're fine.
http://www.sportingnews.com/soccer/story/2011-11-07/mls-passes-nba-as-third-best-attended-american-sport
I do find watching baseball boring on TV. But much better being there.
Going to a game in Japan is a LOT of fun.
MLB World Series
Even the mid-week games and even when we're playing shitty.
And it's not warm here most games.
When I watch homeruns in other parks falling into empty stands on SportsCenter it's like some alien shit to me.
Plus the growing Latin population rides (right?); I'm not concerned.
True, but there are many diehards like myself just waiting for the team to suck long enough that the pink hats leave and we can actually acquire Red Sox tickets again. I used to go to 30 games a year in my early 20s. By the time they'd won their second World Series of this millennium, it had become impossible to get tickets except through the secondary market. The Red Sox will always have the heart of true Bostonians.
i will confess that while the NL may be the more pure form of the game, all of the 'flaws' of the American League were brought in to draw the person seeking entertainment over sport.
the addition of the extra playoff spot was a watershed moment and made last years playoffs a far better product in more markets, but it's still got its work.
I MISS FANS THROWING D BATTERIES AT THE OPPOSING TEAM'S RIGHT FIELDER AT YANKEE STADIUM DAMN IT!
.... the league does better as a whole when the yankees go deep in the playoffs
Who sits at the table w/ Serena Williams, LeBron James, and Tom Brady(insert NFL star)?
and he's slowly dying
I fondly remember a Fenway outing where WEEI gave out "K" cards for a Pedro start. My drunken ruffian friends and I in the bleachers made paper airplanes out of ours and tossed them (mine actually did a 180 in the stands and hit some poor lady in the face???sorry lady). Within moments there were thousands of giant paper airplanes creating bedlam in the bleachers.
On another lovely summer evening, a few Mets fans were sitting in front of us holding up a Mets towel. We threw whatever we could get our hands on at them and the cops kicked them out for inciting the crowd. Not us for throwing shit at them. THEM.
I love Boston.
I'm sitting in my cubicle laughing like crazy right now. Kudos.
Not that I care much. When I was a kid I lived and died for the Red Sox and baseball in general. Would always be reading books about the Gashouse Gang, Shoeless Joe, Big Red Machine, etc ... played wiffle ball every day, litte league ... nowadays I can barely watch an MLB game unless it's the playoffs and even then mainly only if it's the Red Sox. I just got bored with the game and also lost interest after the steroids saga and moreso after the Red Sox turned into the Yankees.
NHL, NFL, I'll watch any game any time. MLB? ehhh
Has MLB marketed another marquee player behind him?
Is there a younger star that is known by non-baseball heads?
they never last, it's kind of a year to year thing. this year is going to be yasiel puig.
harper? mccutcheon? trout? votto?
the only way i can think to guage this is jersey sales. but that still includes population skew.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/multimedia/photo_gallery/1210/mlb-top-20-selling-jerseys-since-all-star-break-2012/content.1.html
go jays.
But for the most part I can't justify paying those ridiculous prices to watch a shitty product on the field. I'll stay home and watch it on TV, which I often do. I haven't been to a Mariners game in two seasons but I could tell you the score of last nights game.
:talib:
i cant even begin to understand HOW or WHY..... but the seattle sounders [MLS] literally DOUBLES every other team in the league for attendance. talmbout an average of 40k+. last years avg attendance was 43,144! if they were in the mlb they would be second highest in the league, BARELY behind the dodgers but ahead of everyone else.
can you shed some light as to how this could possibly be happening?
Montreal, Portland, San Jose, Kansas City are all standing room only, but their stadiums are about 20,000.
Seattle Sounders games are crazy though... Everyone attending appears to be your polite ordinary school teachers, city librarians, county clerks, etc. - until the game starts - and then they turn into wannabe European hooligans chanting for injured players to die on the field. It's a trip... I've only been to two games and that was enough for me.
I thought MLB would push for Pujols, but his production has dropped.
If Josh Hamiliton can have another big year, maybe him.
Look out for Bryce Harper, too.