MLB has a bad baseball problem that's only getting worse

[Pujols4MVP]

4 minutes ago, Thomas said:

Baseball isn't the only sport facing attendance woes. Hell Nascar may fold as this rate. Football clearly is suffering, and not just because of kneeling. Professional wrestling ratings are barely half on a good week compared to twenty years ago. Yet they just got a huge new TV contract because as bad as their ratings and attendance have become, it's still better than their peers. I think looking too focused on the quality of the baseball being played may be missing the bigger picture.

Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, are taking a toll on ratings for sports games. Also its things like cable networks like AMC (The Walking Dead franchise & other shows). Its a golden era for scripted dramas on TV right now & its hurting Sports.

Instead of a family going to a ball game or watching a ball game on TV they'll watch The Walking Dead instead.

When the baseball game gets boring people are taking their smart phones & playing games on it.

[Thomas]

Just now, Scioscia4MVP said:

Instead of a family going to a ball game or watching a ball game they'll watch The Walking Dead together instead.

I'm jealous of this family. My family more resembles everyone watching what they specifically want to watch on their own device.

[Dtwncbad]

Banning the shift only encourages hitters to continue swinging for the fences on every pitch.

If any part of the goal is to have more balls in play with runners moving and fielders making plays to get runners out, then banning the shift is a bad idea.

[Angels#1Fan]

4 hours ago, OHTANILAND said:

Baseball games are way too expensive for the average family man. Every time I read that we need to pay Mike Trout 10 years $400M I cringe. 

I used to attend tons of games but not anymore. Pujols and Hamilton really changed the way I follow baseball. I saved my season ticket money to travel to other ballparks every season. Last season was Boston and New York. This season Philadelphia and Baltimore. 

The cost of the games has definitely changed how many games I attend.

[John Taylor]

The transition to Blernsball is finally beginning

[Ohtaniland]

11 minutes ago, Angels#1Fan said:

The cost of the games has definitely changed how many games I attend.

Yes that’s exactly why I don’t buy season seats anymore. I’ve had to throw great tickets away in August and September because nobody wanted them. 

[Angels#1Fan]

I think it's pretty obvious why baseball attendance is on the decline. Just go look at what the kids play today, they don't play baseball anymore like they used to, they play soccer. When I was a kid (I know a long time ago) no one played soccer and all of the fields were busy after school with Little League practice. It's literally hard to find youth baseball anymore. This has been happening for many years now with baseball is losing it's youth fan base little by little. Then factor in what it cost to actually go to games now and it's no wonder why attendance is suffering.

People can talk about the mound, lack of offense, stats, etc. baseball is losing it's fan base because there are just other things people like to do. They'd rather sit at home and play computer games or bury their face in their smart phone waiting with baited breath for the next text message!

[Angels#1Fan]

1 hour ago, OHTANILAND said:

Yes that’s exactly why I don’t buy season seats anymore. I’ve had to throw great tickets away in August and September because nobody wanted them. 

I have a friend that has had season seats at Anaheim for a couple of decades and the last five years he's had to sell off close to half of them because he can't afford the seats anymore. And as you said some of those games are a tough sell. When you add in $10.00 or $8.00 or whatever for a f'n Coke it gets to where I feel that I'm being ripped-off. I had access to the Diamond club at one time and it was $50.00 a plate!!!!!!!! Who are they trying to kid? $50.00 for some potato salad and piece of chicken? Take your wife and two kids to that a couple of times a week. lol No more.

[Ohtaniland]

1 minute ago, Angels#1Fan said:

I have a friend that has had season seats at Anaheim for a couple of decades and the last five years he's had to sell off close to half of them because he can't afford the seats anymore. And as you said some of those games are a tough sell. When you add in $10.00 or $8.00 or whatever for a f'n Coke it gets to where I feel that I'm being ripped-off. I had access to the Diamond club at one time and it was $50.00 a plate!!!!!!!! Who are they trying to kid? $50.00 for some potato salad and piece of chicken? Take your wife and two kids to that. lol No more.

I tried to sell tickets for 15 games after the ASB on several secondary markets for half the face value and sold only two games. The tickets were awesome but the product on the field definitely factored into their depreciation. 

[Vegas Halo Fan]

3 hours ago, Scioscia4MVP said:

This too. They should ban the shift & reward a team with a walk if they get shifted on, it will increase runs scored in the league as would a pitch clock to limit the amount of time between pitches (some pitchers take like a minute between pitches).

All a player has to do to beat the shift is to drop a bunt in the opposite direction .

Part of the problem with sports, IMO, is the push to monetize everything. Parking that costs almost as much as a game ticket. Food prices through the roof. That doesn't even take into account the price of tickets.

[aznhockeyguy]

44 minutes ago, Angels#1Fan said:

I think it's pretty obvious why baseball attendance is on the decline. Just go look at what the kids play today, they don't play baseball anymore like they used to, they play soccer. When I was a kid (I know a long time ago) no one played soccer and all of the fields were busy after school with Little League practice. It's literally hard to find youth baseball anymore. This has been happening for many years now with baseball is losing it's youth fan base little by little. Then factor in what it cost to actually go to games now and it's no wonder why attendance is suffering.

People can talk about the mound, lack of offense, stats, etc. baseball is losing it's fan base because there are just other things people like to do. They'd rather sit at home and play computer games or bury their face in their smart phone waiting with baited breath for the next text message!

It's also a very slow game and expensive to play.  Just think about the number of bats, cleats, and gloves you go through.

[Angels#1Fan]

1 minute ago, aznhockeyguy said:

It's also a very slow game and expensive to play.  Just think about the number of bats, cleats, and gloves you go through.

Nothing, and I mean nothing is as slow as a soccer game. Baseball is played at the speed of light compared to soccer. You could sit there all day at a soccer game waiting for a team to actually score. That's why I don't buy some of the reasons that have been floated about speeding up baseball and it's impact on attendance. Soccer is (next to hockey) about as boring as a sport can get. At a hockey game I get sleepy just watching them skate on and off the ice every 5 minutes and pray there'll be a goal before it's bedtime. "Hey, ice the puck", "put some head on it". lol 

[Vegas Halo Fan]

13 minutes ago, Angels#1Fan said:

Nothing, and I mean nothing is as slow as a soccer game. Baseball is played at the speed of light compared to soccer. You could sit there all day at a soccer game waiting for a team to actually score.

I watched a World Cup game several years ago. There was one shot on goal in the entire first half - for both teams. It was like watching paint dry.

[Angels#1Fan]

3 minutes ago, Vegas Halo Fan said:

I watched a World Cup game several years ago. There was one shot on goal in the entire first half - for both teams. It was like watching paint dry.

I know what you mean, I just can't get into soccer. I actually tried to some years ago but it just bores me to death. I'll never understand soccers popularity.

 

[Vegas Halo Fan]

3 minutes ago, Angels#1Fan said:

I know what you mean, I just can't get into soccer. I actually tried to some years ago but it just bores me to death. I'll never undetstand soccers popularity.

In most of the countries where it is really popular, there is little else going on sports-wise. When the World Cup rolls around, it's a matter of national pride. Here in the U. S., where there are a lot of sports options, I didn't see a lot of angst about the national team not qualifying for the World Cup. Our best athletes go to other sports, while there aren't as many options in soccer-loving nations.

[Angels#1Fan]

2 minutes ago, Vegas Halo Fan said:

In most of the countries where it is really popular, there is little else going on sports-wise. When the World Cup rolls around, it's a matter of national pride. Here in the U. S., where there are a lot of sports options, I didn't see a lot of angst about the national team not qualifying for the World Cup. Our best athletes go to other sports, while there aren't as many options in soccer-loving nations.

The team from Mexico gets more attention here than team USA!

The whole soccer thing is a mystery to me. I get that it's popular in other places but geez..

[ten ocho recon scout]

6 hours ago, OHTANILAND said:

Baseball games are way too expensive for the average family man. Every time I read that we need to pay Mike Trout 10 years $400M I cringe. 

I used to attend tons of games but not anymore. Pujols and Hamilton really changed the way I follow baseball. I saved my season ticket money to travel to other ballparks every season. Last season was Boston and New York. This season Philadelphia and Baltimore. 

I have to disagree on that. 

First, unless its a big name team like the yankees are in town, you can just about always get cheap seats (like 15 bucks). 

At least here in california, minimum wage is like 10 bucks now...

To go to a lot of games, in good seats, and party, yeah it adds up. If you dont mind sitting in shit seats, and arent there to get drunk, you can easily go to games once a month or so. 

[ten ocho recon scout]

5 hours ago, True Grich said:

Years from now, I'm not going to be sitting around talking about Trout's WAR.  I'm going to talk about the things I saw him do on the field with my own two eyes.  I don't think I've ever had conversations about the stats of the guys I've seen - I talk about the things that created actual memories for me. 

 

[ten ocho recon scout]

4 hours ago, Scioscia4MVP said:

Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, are taking a toll on ratings for sports games. Also its things like cable networks like AMC (The Walking Dead franchise & other shows). Its a golden era for scripted dramas on TV right now & its hurting Sports.

Instead of a family going to a ball game or watching a ball game on TV they'll watch The Walking Dead instead.

When the baseball game gets boring people are taking their smart phones & playing games on it.

This times 1000.

Its a combo of things. Sports are losing their wide appeal. Other sports are becoming more popular. Someone mentioned above how many top athletes pick basketball or football over baseball. What about skateboarding? Surfing, etc.

Crossfit is only getting bigger and bigger.

Its like any entertainment in general. Older people will have nostalgia for the same tv shows. Those days are gone. Because of instead of 10 or so channels, you have 1000. So people are watching different things. Plus less people are watching less tv, and the internet/social media is primary entertainment for younger people.

[Ohtaniland]

38 minutes ago, Vladdylonglegs said:

I don't think the drop off in attendance has anything to do with more people striking out. It has to do with baseball being a dying sport in America. It has been for a while now and there is nothing MLB can do to save it. It's sad but it's reality.

Less baseball fields and more soccer fields is the trend. 

[Tank]

6 hours ago, Dick B Back said:

And when Verlander is in town, just keepin’ an eye out for the Mrs.

Oops sorry, that’s Tank.

thanks for thinking of me us her.

[Tank]

isn't attendance often lower at the beginning of the season? kids in school and such... seems like it usually picks up once school is out for summer, plus the pennant races start to materialize more clearly.

[ten ocho recon scout]

2 hours ago, artesmustache said:

true. i went to a ton of games in my youth with friends and enjoyed it. but, without hesitation, i can tell you if i had access to pornhub on my home computer as a teen i wouldve seen more of johnny sins' splitter than chuck finleys or bryan harveys.

Exactly. Why go to a game and see the bullpen suck D when you can see that on your computer, and not pay for parking.

[T.G.]

I have season tickets and I have sold plenty of tickets on stubhub. 

Also - I can exchange any unused tickets for a future game (not in the same section and to limited games).  I've taken small groups to games using this benefit.  I can actually exchange the unused tickets after the date has passed. 

[yk9001]

18 hours ago, Make Angels Great Again said:

The shift needs to be an illegal defense.

The worst take.

 

The shift is one of the few interesting things in baseball.  Without Ohtani, it's the ONLY interesting thing.  The players refusing to adjust.  The players adjusting.  The confusion on basepaths that allows runners to take open bases.