Baseball at 9%, two points above soccer ...
https://news.gallup.com/poll/4735/sports.aspx
if you look at your paer’s weekend sports on tv listings there’s more soccer on than baseball. It’s not a good sign.
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https://www.marketwatch.com/st...-baseball-2017-02-22
The biggest battle for baseball is off the field. Also, note while baseball participation has been up lately it dipped 41% over a ten year period previous.
Baseball still very strong at the local level, just less of a national TV sport than it once was. Certainly lost youth participation share to soccer, basketball and lacrosse due to pace. But as long as there is a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow and it's a featured D1 sport, it's going to be around for a while.
Boxing, baseball, horse racing are the big three.
Wait, that was in 1919, not 2019.
I haven’t been able to stomach watching basketball for a long time. I like Rockets, follow their win/loss and hope they win the championship, but never watch.
NFL football, good college matchups ( I have no alumni affiliation) I can watch at anytime. But ever since the Oilers lost a 35 pt playoff lead to Buffalo, I am a cynic forever in believing “my team” would really win the “Big Game”.
I know nothing of soccer, never played, couldn’t name a US player. But at the national level, would drop just about anything to watch “US semi-final World Cup” or the like.
But baseball, Ray (JM), the one constant through all the years. To me it’s a novel that never ends, just chapter after chapter, twelve months a year, year after year. Was just talking to my son tonight about Mike Scott’s split finger taught to him by Roger Craig, (son says doesn’t that hurt your arm?) Dave Smith’s 87 mph fastball and change up after changeup that netted him over 200 saved on mediocre at best Astros teams in the ‘80’s.
Doesn't really matter, E-Sports will eclipse all, well at least until the Lunar Regolith Volleyball League or A-Belt 3D Virtual Handball Association. Or the O’Neil Cylinder Golf Association.
Baseball is hard to watch on TV. I will catch slack for that comment but it will also most likely come from the 55+ crowd which is the 50% of the audience that is not the problem. Most people under 55 will probably agree with me; day at the ballpark- great day. Watching the game on the TV - background noise/distraction while something loads on phone/0 interest. I think MLB is addressing all the wrong issues. I think it starts with the commercials. Too long - plain and simple. These pitchers get 5 warm ups in between innings and we're taking 2.5 minute commercial breaks. Even if we take that number down to 2 minutes that is close to 10 minutes removed, which is a big deal because it's dead time. Now that will hurt the pockets of somebody financially. But at what point do you sacrifice money to save a dwindling audience.
The second factor is the broadcasting. I can watch a playoff game start to finish. The commentary is more energetic, has more life to it, and there are plenty of contributors good or bad. Joe Buck catches a ton of slack but theres a reason he is given the biggest sporting events. Regular season broadcasts have too much jabber about former greats, _______ pitching coach in AAA, useless stats like Aaron Judge has hit 7 homers on Thursday day games in his career. The same two guys going back and forth gets tiring to listen to for 3+ hours. I'm a Yankees fan and they actually do a decent job. But the stories about Paul O'Niel, Bernie Williams, and Andy Petitte get old after a while. We get it, you know the players. I have no problem with Sunday Night Baseball on ESPN, any playoff broadcast and often find myself not watching games and just checking out MLB network when they cut from game to game with 4+ people on the call/in the studio.
I get it, it's a work in progress. But the pitch clock, stealing first, and robot umps don't solve the viewership problem. Maybe baseball is going the way of the dinosaur and it's in the process of running it's course but for every person that can sit in the recliner and watch start to finish there is another baseball guy saying someone save me from this snooze fest. That is when you know there's a problem - when watching become an issue for the non casual regulars who know a thing or two.
More recent article on some of the ways baseball is attacking the problem: https://www.onlinegambling.com...jor-league-baseball/
Quote: "Statcast streaming real-time metrics app averages 30.8 million users a day during the baseball season and its average user is under 30."
Also, the Gallup poll data linked in the OP had this data a little further down the page:
For each of the following, please say whether you are a fan of that sport or not.
| Yes, a fan | Somewhat of a fan (vol.) | No, not a fan | No opinion | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| % | % | % | % | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Professional baseball | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2019 Apr 17-30 | 54 | 3 | 43 | -- | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2017 Oct 10-11 | 47 | 4 | 48 | * | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2012 Dec 19-22 | 48 | 5 | 47 | * | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2004 Dec 5-8 | 43 | 9 | 48 | * | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2001 Mar 26-28 | 46 | 10 | 44 | * | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
So over the last 18 years, the percentage of people describing themselves as a baseball fan went up from 46% to 54% . . . not too shabby . . .
2019Dad posted:More recent article on some of the ways baseball is attacking the problem: https://www.onlinegambling.com...jor-league-baseball/
Quote: "Statcast streaming real-time metrics app averages 30.8 million users a day during the baseball season and its average user is under 30."
Also, the Gallup poll data linked in the OP had this data a little further down the page:
For each of the following, please say whether you are a fan of that sport or not.
Yes, a fan Somewhat of a fan (vol.) No, not a fan No opinion % % % % Professional baseball 2019 Apr 17-30 54 3 43 -- 2017 Oct 10-11 47 4 48 * 2012 Dec 19-22 48 5 47 * 2004 Dec 5-8 43 9 48 * 2001 Mar 26-28 46 10 44 *
So over the last 18 years, the percentage of people describing themselves as a baseball fan went up from 46% to 54% . . . not too shabby . . .
You can't take percentages to the bank and deposit them.
However, revenues up an average 6% per annum from 2005-2017. That's a double your money every twelve years thing. You can deposit that.
The woe is me baseball crowd will have to get up earlier for their arguments.
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Hands down it is tennis...a life sport. From 4 years old to 80 years old...people play or learn to play tennis. It can be an individual sport, it can be a team sport. You can play singles, doubles or mixed doubles based on your ability level and age. If somebody doesn't show up, you can play "Canadian doubles" …. singles player against a doubles team. You don't necessarily need to play games, you can just hit the ball with a friend for fun. Tennis is a great workout and it keeps you young. If you travel internationally (especially Europe), it is not hard to find someone to play tennis.
Like all professional spectator sports, it is best to actually be there. Tennis is no exception. You get a much better sense of speeds, spins and how quick and athletic most of these guys are. Next on my list is college baseball, college football, MLB and NFL. I can watch just about any college game, but I'm selective about my MLB and NFL games.
i see and hear the same comment constantly and I fall in it. I would rather watch college than pro any day. Why is that? Too much pro ball on tv, too much money, not as competitive? For me it is the fact that the game in football and baseball is faster pace in college. Pro football has lost my watchability with protecting everybody and so is college. I love HS where you can hit them hard and not get tossed. In basketball, it is the fact that it is not really basketball. They took all the contact out of football and put it in basketball and let them run 5 yards with it. MLB is just too long and too slow. Also took all the drama out of it for me. I love college football, basketball, and baseball. I would go to any good HS games. On the fan part, I would definitely say I am a fan but not of MLB, unless my son gets there. 
I’m amused when the fallback argument in baseball is the revenue. If attendance and tv viewership continue to slide revenue will not be a good argument after the next contract.
Baseball’s first big problem was consistently busting the three hour time window. The second problem is the all or nothing approach at the plate. There’s not enough action in a very long game.
If you like the sport and enjoy the game you know approximately how long football, basketball, hockey and soccer take to watch. Football is the longest at three hours. Soccer is the shortest at under two.
What you’re going to see more and more of in sports is the NFL Red Zone approach to viewing. I love the NCAA baseball tournament version of bouncing around the interesting games.
Kind of funny to be saying this but, one of the best ball games I have watched in a long time was a Men's Slow Pitch Softball game I saw on some cable channel I can not remomber. Had a max of 3 HRs allowed per team. Tons of shots to the gaps all over the field, and some great defensive play. High scoring, lots of action, just plain fun to watch. Don't get me wrong, love college baseball (dont watch MLB anymore), but all the action was a lot of fun to watch.
Here's an interesting question for this group. Do your sons, who PLAY baseball, watch much baseball in their free time?
I love watching baseball but they play a lot of games, it isn't a big deal to miss some. Our house is college football or baseball...not much else.
Wechson posted:Here's an interesting question for this group. Do your sons, who PLAY baseball, watch much baseball in their free time?
I don’t know that my son has ever sat down and watched an entire game on tv. As a kid he would watch a few innings and leave. He would wander off and play MLB on his PlayStation.
He goes to live Phillies games with friends. We do the Philadelphia/Baltimore Red Sox tour each year. As a kid we would go see Louisville, Notre Dame and West Virginia when they came to town.
He’ll watch basketball all evening on tv and break it down. Had he been 6’6” in stead of 6’2” I believe he would have focused more on basketball.
Wechson posted:Here's an interesting question for this group. Do your sons, who PLAY baseball, watch much baseball in their free time?
Great question. My son has always said that he loves playing baseball but hates watching it on TV. He does enjoy watching games live, esp youth games in the tournament he's at or the local rec park. But even when we are in an MLB stadium, I don't see him sitting in his seat watching every pitch. For football, he enjoys watching it more than playing it. While he does enjoy playing it, he is leading towards focusing on just baseball in HS.
I watch far more football than anything else.
HS football, attend or listen on radio every Friday night. College football, all day on fall Saturdays, do not schedule me to be somewhere, I'll hurt your feelings unless there's a death in the family. NFL, won't even watch super bowl, for my own personal reasons, which are political.
HS baseball, sometimes, always when my son was playing, never missed one game in HS. College baseball, attend and watch frequently, live or on television. Doesn't matter who's playing, I love the college game. MLB, I may turn on world series if there's nothing better on.
Those are the only two sports I care about. Do not watch anything else, in person or on television. The college team I pull for made a final four run a couple years ago. Did not watch it, didn't care.
Baseball and football, that's it for me.
For me......and I'll base this on my TV watching, not live
1) College football....and it's not close. Don't care who's playing, I'm watching
2) Pro football....though not nearly as much as I used to....the rules/replay/officiating has made it almost unwatchable
3) College baseball - not on nearly enough
4) MLB
5) College basketball
6) Golf...but typically only majors
7).......any other sport except NBA and Professional Cornhole
8 tie) NBA
8 tie) Professional Cornhole
@Go44dad - So who has been the highest paid athletes of the past 2 decades? Boxers (Floyd and Manny). The Kentucky Derby remains one of the highest rated sporting events annually, and the Belmont generates national interest if theres a Triple Crown on the line. Baseball is still big. It's not what it was, but its an inventory sport for local RSN's and then generally delivers big numbers if marquee franchises are involved during the playoffs.
RJM posted:Wechson posted:Here's an interesting question for this group. Do your sons, who PLAY baseball, watch much baseball in their free time?
I don’t know that my son has ever sat down and watched an entire game on tv. As a kid he would watch a few innings and leave. He would wander off and play MLB on his PlayStation.
He goes to live Phillies games with friends. We do the Philadelphia/Baltimore Red Sox tour each year. As a kid we would go see Louisville, Notre Dame and West Virginia when they came to town.
He’ll watch basketball all evening on tv and break it down. Had he been 6’6” in stead of 6’2” I believe he would have focused more on basketball.
My son has played since tball, but rarely watches for pleasure. Loves the live game, but on TV he generally tunes away at some point. Even in playoff games, which he does like to watch, he'd rather be on the Xbox playing NBA2K.
Wechson posted:Here's an interesting question for this group. Do your sons, who PLAY baseball, watch much baseball in their free time?
Of course baseball is a little boring to watch. It's always more fun to play a sport than to sit and watch it. When you like playing a sport it becomes a little more fun to watch.
https://digital-planner.com/teacher/planner/dark
Wechson posted:Here's an interesting question for this group. Do your sons, who PLAY baseball, watch much baseball in their free time?
My son loves baseball and still watches it (follows trades and guys he knows playing professionally) when he can...mostly college, Nats and Red Sox games.
@bitcohen - kids who play football, soccer and basketball tend to watch a lot of those sports. With baseball, from what I've observed, there's something of a disconnect between participation and viewing. For my son, it's not terribly exciting to watch unless it's the playoffs, a special event ie HRD or he's participating. Just think that's the world now, either shorter burst games with more breaks (NBA, NFL), or shorter games in general (Premiere League) seem to have the right formula for younger viewers attention.
As I type this I'm listening to the Phillies game on MLB radio app. One of my favorite things in life was/is listening to a ballgame on a hot day at the beach. My teenagers however rarely watch a full sporting event on TV. Both play baseball and one plays hockey--neither will watch either one exclusively on TV. They both play both sports video games however, and have actually learned some stuff from that.
Old guy that I am however, will watch most any playoff hockey game, some college hockey, many regular season Flyers games and lots of Phillies games--not to mention football and golf and the occasional boxing or MMA match. No interest in basketball except March Madness. I can't fathom how anyone can watch soccer or car racing.
Easy question: BASEBALL
My son watches a little baseball, but not a whole lot. He watches other pitchers to learn and see how they sequence their pitches. Not sure what his favorite team is or if he even has one.
For me, baseball is by far my favorite sport. Growing up I knew all the stats on the back of baseball cards, collected cards, played Strat-o-Matic every year with my buddies, etc. The only other sport, as a distant 2nd, is college hoops.
The NFL and all the rule changes and yellow hankies flying, has really turned me away from the enjoyment of the game
MLB has a deep pool of potential young fans. Just keep doing things like this and push it out in social media.
RJM posted:Wechson posted:Here's an interesting question for this group. Do your sons, who PLAY baseball, watch much baseball in their free time?
I don’t know that my son has ever sat down and watched an entire game on tv. As a kid he would watch a few innings and leave. He would wander off and play MLB on his PlayStation.
He goes to live Phillies games with friends. We do the Philadelphia/Baltimore Red Sox tour each year. As a kid we would go see Louisville, Notre Dame and West Virginia when they came to town.
He’ll watch basketball all evening on tv and break it down. Had he been 6’6” in stead of 6’2” I believe he would have focused more on basketball.
Same for mine. He would make it through one inning, then off to play catch with a friend. When he was younger, he went to the local legion games and was always across the street playing some baseball game he and his buddies made up. I would get annoyed, because I paid for him to get in and then he probably watched an inning or two, went to concessions and then off with the buddies. 😂 Miss those days now!
My son doesn't focus on whole games on t.v., he'll watch a couple of innings. On the other hand, whenever he goes to a live game (college, minor or major league), it's like he enters another zone, just totally focused on the game, always been like that since he was 3. The last game we went to, I literally passed out from heatstroke up in the concourse, and he didn't even notice (or check his phone) for half an hour!