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Started By
Message
MLB has to adapt or the league is going to die
Posted on 8/21/24 at 2:11 am
Posted on 8/21/24 at 2:11 am
I would consider myself your typical MLB fan. I was big into it in the mid to early 2000's, but have just lost the desire to watch the game because it has gotten to a point that it's almost a surprise if someone reaches base.
World Series viewership:
1980 = 42 million viewers. 225 million people in the US. Nearly 25% of people watched the WS then
2023 = 9 million viewers. 333 million people in the US. 2.7% of people watch the WS.
25% to 2.7% today. That is staggering. Basically if a random group of 10 people watched the WS in 1980, only 1 of them remains to watch and the other 9 don't care anymore. Not for the fact of 1980 viewers dying by today, but just the reality of the rate.
The issue with the MLB are the diehards who are way too anal-retentive to let the game change to adapt to demand. People don't watch the MLB to see good pitching (besides the die hards). People watch the MLB to see base hits, doubles, and ultimately home runs.
Viewership will continue to decline despite a growing population because the inability to change the game in a substantial way, i.e., making bases an inch bigger does nothing. I think the MLB should lower the mound to ground level and move the pitching mound back 5 feet.
You can't do anything about Pitching becoming a science, and pitchers becoming better. But you can change the elevation and distance from where they throw. Additionally changing the balls to be more reactive.
As of a couple of days ago, there were only SEVEN people in the MLB hitting above. 300. It used to be that there were 1 or 2 or maybe 3 guys on a team hitting .300+. The league average batting average is .244. It used to be .270.
Guess what happened around 1893 when MLB averages were dipping to where they are today around .240? They moved the damn mound back 5 feet to 60 ft 6 inches. Do the same today, 65 ft 6 inches. All the die hard anal retentives saying the league rules are sacred and will never be changed are dumb because the league has already literally moved the mound back before in response to diminishing play.
World Series viewership:
1980 = 42 million viewers. 225 million people in the US. Nearly 25% of people watched the WS then
2023 = 9 million viewers. 333 million people in the US. 2.7% of people watch the WS.
25% to 2.7% today. That is staggering. Basically if a random group of 10 people watched the WS in 1980, only 1 of them remains to watch and the other 9 don't care anymore. Not for the fact of 1980 viewers dying by today, but just the reality of the rate.
The issue with the MLB are the diehards who are way too anal-retentive to let the game change to adapt to demand. People don't watch the MLB to see good pitching (besides the die hards). People watch the MLB to see base hits, doubles, and ultimately home runs.
Viewership will continue to decline despite a growing population because the inability to change the game in a substantial way, i.e., making bases an inch bigger does nothing. I think the MLB should lower the mound to ground level and move the pitching mound back 5 feet.
You can't do anything about Pitching becoming a science, and pitchers becoming better. But you can change the elevation and distance from where they throw. Additionally changing the balls to be more reactive.
As of a couple of days ago, there were only SEVEN people in the MLB hitting above. 300. It used to be that there were 1 or 2 or maybe 3 guys on a team hitting .300+. The league average batting average is .244. It used to be .270.
Guess what happened around 1893 when MLB averages were dipping to where they are today around .240? They moved the damn mound back 5 feet to 60 ft 6 inches. Do the same today, 65 ft 6 inches. All the die hard anal retentives saying the league rules are sacred and will never be changed are dumb because the league has already literally moved the mound back before in response to diminishing play.
This post was edited on 8/21/24 at 2:18 am
57
Posted on 8/21/24 at 2:44 am to Saunson69
And the pendulum swings ... if better offensive numbers is the goal then maybe lower the mound a little?
Posted on 8/21/24 at 2:53 am to Saunson69
quote:
World Series viewership:
1980 = 42 million viewers. 225 million people in the US. Nearly 25% of people watched the WS then
2023 = 9 million viewers. 333 million people in the US. 2.7% of people watch the WS.
Now look up the viewership numbers for the final episode of M.A.S.H. and compare it to the viewership for the final episode of The Office - or anything on TV today.
Changes in the game are not the biggest factor in the changing TV audience.
Posted on 8/21/24 at 3:07 am to Saunson69
First, why don't we identify why production has dipped. Anyone know the answer to that?
Posted on 8/21/24 at 3:31 am to Saunson69
There are a lot of reasons for those numbers. One the game is not on a major network anymore. When was the last World Series on ABC, NBC, or CBS?
Baseball has become such a regional thing now thanks to local broadcast and the amount of information people can obtain about their specific teams.
MLB attendance numbers same the game is fine, same with the revenue it is bringing in. I'm not worried about ESPN/TBS/TNT broadcast numbers.
Baseball has become such a regional thing now thanks to local broadcast and the amount of information people can obtain about their specific teams.
MLB attendance numbers same the game is fine, same with the revenue it is bringing in. I'm not worried about ESPN/TBS/TNT broadcast numbers.
Posted on 8/21/24 at 3:51 am to Sherlock Holmes II
quote:
One the game is not on a major network anymore. When was the last World Series on ABC, NBC, or CBS?
It's on Fox
Posted on 8/21/24 at 4:19 am to Saunson69
Quit swinging for the fences if you can't hit it over
Posted on 8/21/24 at 4:23 am to Saunson69
Baseball is just too damn boring. I would rather watch golf.
Posted on 8/21/24 at 4:43 am to Saunson69
There’s a lot of different factors in those WS rating numbers. Obviously technology has advanced so much since 1980 that you can find a lot more things to watch than what it was in 1980 but I also think that the NFL and college football has grown so much in popularity in todays age that you just can’t have the MLB postseason during football season. I think they need to seriously think about ending the season much earlier or at least don’t have the playoff games on Saturdays and Sundays. They need to just play it during the week.
I remember when the Astros won the WS on a Saturday night and it wasn’t even the main highlight of that night. It was LSU beating Bama at the same time as the Astros won the WS.
I remember when the Astros won the WS on a Saturday night and it wasn’t even the main highlight of that night. It was LSU beating Bama at the same time as the Astros won the WS.
Posted on 8/21/24 at 4:50 am to TXSTaggie
quote:
I think they need to seriously think about ending the season much earlier or at least don’t have the playoff games on Saturdays and Sundays.
This. Get rid of the wild-card playoff teams. Maybe go back to two divisions per League. Last year's World Series should have been Braves vs. Orioles. Instead, we got two wild-card teams D-Backs vs Rangers.
Edit
This post was edited on 8/21/24 at 5:53 am
Posted on 8/21/24 at 4:52 am to Sherlock Holmes II
quote:
Baseball has become such a regional thing now thanks to local broadcast and the amount of information people can obtain about their specific teams.
Bingo. I don't have any interest in watching just any team play on FOX Saturday--I want to watch the Astros. And the only way I can watch them is if they are on FOX, or by pulling up MLB Big Inning.
Not suggesting that everyone looks at it that way, but I get so tired of seeing the same teams on FOX again, and again, and AGAIN! When Boston and New York play, it seems like every primetime, national game that weekend is them.
Posted on 8/21/24 at 4:56 am to Cowboyfan89
It’s just a totally different game now. The pitch clock helped, but launch angle and analytics killed the sport. There are too few balls in play. Too little action. Too many strikeouts. Very little strategy anymore. No more bunts, hit and runs, double switches. I still watch the postseason, but it’s a just a very different game than the one most of us grew up with
Posted on 8/21/24 at 4:58 am to Saunson69
Too much analylitics involved
Posted on 8/21/24 at 5:06 am to Saunson69
Baseball Is in zero danger of dying
Sorry mate, it’s just not
Sorry mate, it’s just not
Posted on 8/21/24 at 5:16 am to Saunson69
The worst thing about MLB is the payroll discrepancy.
Team's gross revenue shouldnt be less than other team's payroll.
MLB will forever be a joke, until it rectifies this.
Team's gross revenue shouldnt be less than other team's payroll.
MLB will forever be a joke, until it rectifies this.
Posted on 8/21/24 at 5:38 am to Jason9782003
quote:
Instead, we got two wild-card teams Phillies vs Rangers.
Lol
Posted on 8/21/24 at 5:51 am to Allthatfades
quote:
launch angle and analytics killed the sport. There are too few balls in play. Too little action. Too many strikeouts. Very little strategy anymore. No more bunts, hit and runs, double switches. I still watch the postseason, but it’s a just a very different game than the one most of us grew up with
Nailed it.
Posted on 8/21/24 at 5:55 am to TXSTaggie
There's no way in hell it's realistic to not have playoff games on weekends. Or ending the season drastically earlier. The playoffs always take priority over any regular season game in my living room. So it's never been a difficult decision for me.
I will say all the shitty arse ads have made the games less enjoyable to watch. More annoying ads behind home plate than there used to be. Ridiculous fake ads on the mound. Ads painted on the field. Disgraceful uniform ads. Goofy fake ads on the batters eye. Ad breaks on a split screen between batters. Frequent gambling promos. Enough is enough. I'm almost to the point I would rather listen on the radio. At least I don't have to see all the absurd ads.
I will say all the shitty arse ads have made the games less enjoyable to watch. More annoying ads behind home plate than there used to be. Ridiculous fake ads on the mound. Ads painted on the field. Disgraceful uniform ads. Goofy fake ads on the batters eye. Ad breaks on a split screen between batters. Frequent gambling promos. Enough is enough. I'm almost to the point I would rather listen on the radio. At least I don't have to see all the absurd ads.
Posted on 8/21/24 at 5:56 am to Saunson69
It is an extremely boring product now. Even with the rule changes. And I will forever be pissed off about the blackouts
Posted on 8/21/24 at 6:00 am to Sherlock Holmes II
quote:
MLB attendance numbers same the game is fine, same with the revenue it is bringing in
This is it right here. The rest is just noise. The game is doing fine. If it wasn’t, you would see it reflected in the revenue.
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