Many good points.
The stats do tend to show a lessened interest in MLB. And while this is surely a limited data perspective, it does seem that the more the game changes, the less people seem interested. I also wonder how much video games have played into the matter. It is now a badge of honor to be a "gamer." When I was a kid, the boy down the street who sat inside all day and played his Atari was known as a sissy. Today, they are getting college scholarships and NCAA recognition. C'est la vie, I guess.
I can't believe you pay for MLB network LOL. I refuse to pay for cable, which was supposed to get me things like baseball games, only to be told, "If you want to watch baseball, that will cost you more."