Viewing Habits Suggests Soccer's Rise. Baseball's Decline.
- Thread starter Althetuna
- Start date
I would watch more baseball if they sped up the pace just slightly and cut it down to 7 innings. Also I don't ever really watch until the playoffs.
Couldn't agree more. I remember as a kid going to an Austin Honkers game in MN as a kid and saw two fights and I am pretty sure the PA was half in the bag. It was f*cking great.
0-0 pitcher's duel in baseball; riveting.
This:
cyclones.com
Just kill me.
This:
Soccer vs UNI on 2/28/2021 - Box Score - Iowa State University Athletics
The official box score of Soccer vs UNI on 2/28/2021
Just kill me.
This is also part of the issue. Playoff baseball is drastically different than regular season baseball. Strategy and everything else changes. They need to do something to recreate that. It's why parts of that shortened year last year was kind of fun.
I thought the Korean league stuff was great too. I hope they keep showing that in the mornings. Working from home I found myself turning the tv on in the bedroom I'm working out of and listening to those games during the day. It was some pretty good baseball I thought.
Soccer probably is the most egaliter sports that youths can play: there is a place for everyone: you don’t have to be rich (hockey equipment), tall (basketball), big (football) - there is a place for everyone: you can be a quick winger, slow but cerebral defender or controlling midfielder, etc. you only need shoes and probably shin guard to start
It is just crazy how different the mechanics of Asian players are. I mean, we’ve seen Ichiro, etc. but to see an entire league play that way is pretty wild.
I agree with this, even for the minor leagues. Every year (except last year), I’d go to Chicago Cubs/Iowa Cubs/CR Kernels games. I’d say in the last few years I’ve enjoyed going to the minor teams over the MLB team.
I don’t have to buy tickets far in advance. The cost is lower (especially when taking my family.). They’re less crowded. Their games are far quicker. More of a Wrigley thing, I get better food/beer options actually in the minors vs the Cubs. Cubs are better for getting a mini-vacation to Chicago and seeing the stars, however for the casual fan, they won’t care about the star part.
From my own experience, there needs to be a happy medium. We've just done little league, but 2 years ago my oldest had a good time on a pretty good team in his first year of kid pitch. He got on the mound a bit and enjoyed himself but is a middling player. He cares much more about other sports.
Last year, no season due to COVID. Before everything got cancelled though, I was talking to a bunch of guys running the league at the try outs and they said literally every all star joined U Trip or other leagues. The number of kids out at his age went from 200 to 100. This was at the 9 year old level. I was looking forward to the next season so pitching could improve and kids would have to be more active at the plate. Basically every kid who could throw strikes was gone. We're doing it again this year, but quite frankly I'm worried that 2 years later the pitching will still suck and the games will be boring for the kids.
There are a lot of people like myself that grew up playing little league and enjoyed the experience a lot, but have no desire to spend every weekend day at the diamond or spending thousands of dollars and having young kids play 50 games in a season. I'm just not sure there is a spot for people like me though in communities around the metro. Let me say finally my son loves soccer, it's his favorite sport, and that the Ankeny Little League is a phenomenal organization and they do a great job running it.
the people propping up baseball are the same people who will ultimately kill it.
the traditionalists don't want any changes because of it's history and excellent statistical analysis, but those things are the same things other people HATE.
i grew up going to a dozen MLB games per year and having it on in the background in our house. But now? Unless it's the Twins in the playoffs I simply don't care. My dad and I used to open the papers and talk about the previous day stats and game results. Now I don't even know if the Twins are playing.
Too many games.
Too many innings.
Too slow.
Too many pitchers.
I am primed to be a fan. It's in our blood. But I just stopped caring. And when I tell people this they tell me "You don't understand the game." Okay? Guess what? My kids will not buy the product and you'll slowly lose money over time. But go ahead and don't adapt to the marketplace and then blame the marketplace.
I wish soccer had more scoring. I wish you could easily identify who is a great player and who is average. casual fans can't do that. But here's the thing - soccer fans and their constant shouting and cheering at least make it a fun experience for the casual/new fan.
the traditionalists don't want any changes because of it's history and excellent statistical analysis, but those things are the same things other people HATE.
i grew up going to a dozen MLB games per year and having it on in the background in our house. But now? Unless it's the Twins in the playoffs I simply don't care. My dad and I used to open the papers and talk about the previous day stats and game results. Now I don't even know if the Twins are playing.
Too many games.
Too many innings.
Too slow.
Too many pitchers.
I am primed to be a fan. It's in our blood. But I just stopped caring. And when I tell people this they tell me "You don't understand the game." Okay? Guess what? My kids will not buy the product and you'll slowly lose money over time. But go ahead and don't adapt to the marketplace and then blame the marketplace.
I wish soccer had more scoring. I wish you could easily identify who is a great player and who is average. casual fans can't do that. But here's the thing - soccer fans and their constant shouting and cheering at least make it a fun experience for the casual/new fan.
**** MLB's blackouts. Used to always have a game on in the background. I haven't given a **** about baseball for years now.
Kids should not start playing baseball before the age of 7. It's too boring for them otherwise. Pushing them to try it at 4-5 yrs old is destroying interest.
Also...tennis is a very underrated sport to watch. Super entertaining IMO.
Also...tennis is a very underrated sport to watch. Super entertaining IMO.
This too...guess I forgot about the blackouts since well I got use to not being able to watch one anyone so just skip over now. So hats off to the MLB for that
I can watch any Cubs game, anytime, but I can’t bring myself to watch a random MLB game. Heck, I’ve barely watched any playoff games that don’t involve the Cubs.
I can’t say that for any other sport. Will watch any CFB/NFL or CBB game. And love watching NBA and NHL playoffs.
I can’t say that for any other sport. Will watch any CFB/NFL or CBB game. And love watching NBA and NHL playoffs.
One of the biggest problems with soccer in the past is America's best athletes very rarely play it growing up. I think that is starting to change. I mean could you imagine Labron playing goalie in soccer? Some of the best running backs in college and wide recievers growing up playing it? US would become pretty dominate and more people would want to watch. Right now the US sucks and Americans hate sucking at a sport.
