RJM posted:Believing baseball has never been in better shape is head in the sand. Viewership is in decline. Attendance is in decline. Less kids are playing baseball. It means less fans in the future.
I’m starting to find MLB unwatchable. Last year the Sox won 108 games and the World Series. Most of the time I only had the game on as background noise.
The ball isn’t being hit a third of the time. I’m just not impressed with all the pitchers with 1+/1 strikeout to inning ratios. Or all the middle infielders who will hit 20+ homers. Or all the hitters getting fooled, on their front foot, swinging one handed hitting backhanded homers. Between the current launch angle phenomenon and a baseball that flies out of the park too easily MLB ball isn’t all that interesting.
I would rather watch a high school or college game.
I'm in this pool. I think the lack of action (obscene K rates and mile high popouts) are what is killing it for me. I could watch college and HS games all day, especially when I am familiar with players.
That being said - is attendance really a problem? I haven't taken look at the numbers but I have been to three different stadiums this year (all were day games). Looking around I see nobody in the stands and entire sections empty. Then the attendance gets announced at 38k, 46k, and 31k. Nobody is in the stands because of everything else going on at the stadium. Food, games, restaurants, casinos even. Either I caught three games with high attendance or the PA announcer and MLB reported an inaccurate attendance. When I watched highlights the place was empty. When I sat in traffic and waited at the security checkpoint it seemed mobbed. I think it's embarrassing when a HR gets clobbered and the entire section is empty. But there are apparently 28k people at the game. I really can't tell.