Baseball will catch football in popularity again (1 Viewer)

[Doctor Detroit]

Not sure who it was but a writer was on ESPN radio the other day and he said that because of all the rules on hits, QB protection, the Red Zone channel and a generally poor stadium atmosphere that the NFL will start to lose popularity. He thinks that eventually people will come back to the great American past time where attendance has been up over the past ten years, and because more athletes will return to pursue baseball because of the injuries in football.

I think it's an interesting perspective. I'm not sure baseball can ever catch football, or at least do it in the next 20-30 years, but I do see the NFL losing steam. I personally don't love the NFL like I used to but I still do watch a good amount of games due to gambling and fantasy considerations (I do like college football more than baseball though but it's very close). But the thing about baseball is that it never really changes and if you loved the game when you were a kid, I think you love it when you are 80. It's simple, people can relate and the ballpark atmosphere is still the best for families and friends to take in a summer night.

 

[Leroy Hoard]

Live maybe, but TV is basicly owned by football due to the gambling you mentioned as well as the still growing fantasy biz. It also has the college games that brings in yet another fan base. Baseball only touches on all those parts.

Back to the live games, baseball is a summer sport that is also somewhat more affordable than the other 3 sports to see live, and more of a family thing to boot.

 

[Wrigley]

Baseball has never really grasped the concept of what fantasy gaming can do for it's sport.

Football gets it, baseball doesn't

 

[Smack Tripper]

Live maybe, but TV is basicly owned by football due to the gambling you mentioned as well as the still growing fantasy biz. It also has the college games that brings in yet another fan base. Baseball only touches on all those parts.Back to the live games, baseball is a summer sport that is also somewhat more affordable than the other 3 sports to see live, and more of a family thing to boot.

Where is the evidence fantasy football is still growing?

 

[Wrigley]

Live maybe, but TV is basicly owned by football due to the gambling you mentioned as well as the still growing fantasy biz. It also has the college games that brings in yet another fan base. Baseball only touches on all those parts.

Back to the live games, baseball is a summer sport that is also somewhat more affordable than the other 3 sports to see live, and more of a family thing to boot.

Where is the evidence fantasy football is still growing?

link

 

[Leroy Hoard]

Live maybe, but TV is basicly owned by football due to the gambling you mentioned as well as the still growing fantasy biz. It also has the college games that brings in yet another fan base. Baseball only touches on all those parts.

Back to the live games, baseball is a summer sport that is also somewhat more affordable than the other 3 sports to see live, and more of a family thing to boot.

Where is the evidence fantasy football is still growing?

link

To add to that ESPN, CBS, and FOX give more and more time to fantasy related stories and talking heads on their football shows.

 

[Smack Tripper]

Baseball has never really grasped the concept of what fantasy gaming can do for it's sport.Football gets it, baseball doesn't

What makes you say this? I never did sfratorama but that seems like an early incarnation of it. Baseball fantasy like most aspects of the sport, is a much bigger time investment than football. Daily lineup changes?!? It's for the obsessive amongst us, not for a chucklehead down the hall that can barely update weekly

 

[Smack Tripper]

Live maybe, but TV is basicly owned by football due to the gambling you mentioned as well as the still growing fantasy biz. It also has the college games that brings in yet another fan base. Baseball only touches on all those parts.

Back to the live games, baseball is a summer sport that is also somewhat more affordable than the other 3 sports to see live, and more of a family thing to boot.

Where is the evidence fantasy football is still growing?

link

I didn't doubt you per se, it just seems to have peaked, anecdotally. I had a fifteen year league go under last year which surprised me but people evolve and interests change. It's ironic that the nets were so slow to incorporate fantasy but now smart phones and fairerTwitter make them obsolete to the hard cores. I wonder of those 19 million how many are individual gamers and how many have multpile teams. Im in 5 leagues and I would say half to slightly more than half of each league play in multiple leagues

 

[Smack Tripper]

I wonder how much something like madden does to hook kids In at a younger age. Baseball never had that gaming anchor

 

[Wrigley]

Baseball has never really grasped the concept of what fantasy gaming can do for it's sport.Football gets it, baseball doesn't

What makes you say this? I never did sfratorama but that seems like an early incarnation of it. Baseball fantasy like most aspects of the sport, is a much bigger time investment than football. Daily lineup changes?!? It's for the obsessive amongst us, not for a chucklehead down the hall that can barely update weekly

A few years ago MLB tried to take over how fantasy baseball was handled. It backfired in a huge way. Football on the other hand has grasped that the more people who play fantasy football, the more people will watch football. Baseball still doesn't seem to get it......they are more interested in making $$$ off the game of fantasy sports, instead of realizing that they will make more $$$ if they try and promote their sport though fantasy. As fantasy baseball player, I can say that I'll watch any game no matter when/where it's played......because I've got some interest in it. I'm sure this is true of almost all fantasy players.

 

[Arsenal of Doom]

Live maybe, but TV is basicly owned by football due to the gambling you mentioned as well as the still growing fantasy biz. It also has the college games that brings in yet another fan base. Baseball only touches on all those parts.

Back to the live games, baseball is a summer sport that is also somewhat more affordable than the other 3 sports to see live, and more of a family thing to boot.

Where is the evidence fantasy football is still growing?

link

To add to that ESPN, CBS, and FOX give more and more time to fantasy related stories and talking heads on their football shows.

This is driving me away from football faster than anything else. I can't stand fantasy talk on broadcasts, pre-game etc. I voted not sure, but I think it's unlikely. The pacing of baseball games and length of the season (relative lack of importance for most RS games) work against it ever reclaiming the top spot IMO.

 

[Leroy Hoard]

The gambling part cannot be overstated. Grannies are winning office pools every week and even little kids know the pointspread of the Super Bowl.

 

[Da Guru]

For the first time in my life I have turned off NFL games because of the cheap penalties and reviewing of plays. The game is over officiated now to the point is is hurting the game not helping.

What also drives me nuts if that a team scores a with 10-20 seconds left in a quarter..then they go to a break for 3 minutes. Kickoff and the quarter ends..then another 3 minute break.

 

[Smack Tripper]

For the first time in my life I have turned off NFL games because of the cheap penalties and reviewing of plays. The game is over officiated now to the point is is hurting the game not helping.What also drives me nuts if that a team scores a with 10-20 seconds left in a quarter..then they go to a break for 3 minutes. Kickoff and the quarter ends..then another 3 minute break.

To that end, I do wonder where this concussion stuff is going in the NFL. You can't exactly sell Mom, Apple Pie and Dead before 60 due to repeated brain trauma. I would imagine there are ways to manage this stuff though. If the rule of the day became that a blow to the head resulted in a coach sitting out the next game, you'd see a whole lot less of it. But its almost beyond the easily seen "cheap shot" insolation. Its the hours of pounding at practice or the consistent trench battle contact or hits on a ball carrier, both the player and the tackler. Gladiators are gladiators, and people have the free will to choose their own risk, but at some point, once the mothers in the crowd get a hold of this, if they do, its going to turn uglier. Will they send little Johnny out to play pee wee at this cost?You can't keep people safe forever but you don't have to run to risk either.

 

[coolnerd]

For the first time in my life I have turned off NFL games because of the cheap penalties and reviewing of plays. The game is over officiated now to the point is is hurting the game not helping.What also drives me nuts if that a team scores a with 10-20 seconds left in a quarter..then they go to a break for 3 minutes. Kickoff and the quarter ends..then another 3 minute break.

Of non-baseball fans that I talk to (informal), the slowness of the action is probably the overall reason on while they don't like the sport. Between the natural breaks between half innings, enough slow pitchers, and mediocore batters who adjust their gloves between every pitch, baseball is never going to win a battle concerning dead action, whether it is bought time versus (football) more natural time (baseball). Overall, baseball has such a gap to overcome that I don't think it will. I mean pre-season NFL games get more television viewers that regular season and sometimes post -season baseball games. I would guess in terms of indivdiaul eyes because the number of chances (and cost as noted by several) baseball in the stadium is already destroying football, but in terms of television and general popularity it not even truly in conversation. Pasttime (baseball) versus passion (football) at least in terms of the masses swings heavily for football.

 

[dparker713]

Baseball already has significantly greater attendence, but thats of course a function of the number of games. And when you look at overall viewers over a course of the season its somewhat close to football. But baseball is no longer a national game. Who cares about a weekly marque matchup when I can watch my team instead, and I can watch them every night.

I guess the only real number to compare the two leagues would be overall revenue. Last numbers I saw were football with 9 billion and baseball with 7 billion. I think that gap could very well shrink as going to a football game is significantly less enticing than watching the action on TV and football needs both to maximize revenue. Meanwhile, there is a much greater appeal to going to a live baseball game regardless of the TV viewing options. Plus, MLB TV and Advanced Media are great assets that seem to great potential for revenue growth.

Oh, and I don't think baseball is doing anything wrong with regards to fantasy. Its just an entirely different animal than fantasy football and unless drastic changes were made to the format I don't see anyway that it could drive the popularity of the sport.

 

[Boston]

I see baseball taking a big hit in about 10-15 years...kids today do not see it as the National pastime and they do not have the connection to the sport of previous generatons...I know where I live lax is absolutely blowing the doors off of baseball especialy when it comes to the good young athletes...

 

[Balco]

Not a shot.

Until they fix the major problems, allowing each team to have a chance to be competitive, it will always lag significantly behind the nfl.

 

[boubucarow]

Not a shot.

Until they fix the major problems, allowing each team to have a chance to be competitive, it will always lag significantly behind the nfl.

It may be true that MLB has to fix major problems to catch the NFL, however the bolded isn't one of those problems.

 

[TobiasFunke]

I see baseball taking a big hit in about 10-15 years...kids today do not see it as the National pastime and they do not have the connection to the sport of previous generatons...I know where I live lax is absolutely blowing the doors off of baseball especialy when it comes to the good young athletes...

This is a constant refrain. It completely ignores the fact that priorities and tastes change as you age.When my friends and I were in our teens and twenties it was all about football and college basketball and sometimes the NBA, and baseball was an afterthought. We liked events/appointment viewing and ridiculous athleticism and excitement. Now that we're in our thirties, most of us are baseball fans first and foremost. It's relaxing more often as it's thrilling, which is a good thing when your life becomes stressful and your schedule is full. You can take your wife and kids to a game without breaking the bank. It's a really interesting common ground for conversation and debate. And it's there every night, which means you don't have to plan your schedule around it. If you've got a free night, there's a game to watch. Basically, it's a sport for grown-ups.Are American kids into baseball like they were in the 50s? Of course not. But they weren't in the 80s and 90s either, and the game hasn't suffered yet.

 

[bicycle_seat_sniffer]

never.

 

[Ghost Rider]

Not a chance.

 

[Doctor Detroit]

The gambling part cannot be overstated. Grannies are winning office pools every week and even little kids know the pointspread of the Super Bowl.

I think this is a very good point and something I never really thought of. Baseball betting is not very much fun.

 

[Boston]

I see baseball taking a big hit in about 10-15 years...kids today do not see it as the National pastime and they do not have the connection to the sport of previous generatons...I know where I live lax is absolutely blowing the doors off of baseball especialy when it comes to the good young athletes...

This is a constant refrain. It completely ignores the fact that priorities and tastes change as you age.When my friends and I were in our teens and twenties it was all about football and college basketball and sometimes the NBA, and baseball was an afterthought. We liked events/appointment viewing and ridiculous athleticism and excitement. Now that we're in our thirties, most of us are baseball fans first and foremost. It's relaxing more often as it's thrilling, which is a good thing when your life becomes stressful and your schedule is full. You can take your wife and kids to a game without breaking the bank. It's a really interesting common ground for conversation and debate. And it's there every night, which means you don't have to plan your schedule around it. If you've got a free night, there's a game to watch. Basically, it's a sport for grown-ups.Are American kids into baseball like they were in the 50s? Of course not. But they weren't in the 80s and 90s either, and the game hasn't suffered yet.

I think you're missing one major point...if kids are playing lax they are NOT playing baseball...in the past Little League was a constant for pretty much every American male in his youth...it's something you did therefore there was a connection to the sport...if kids stop playing the sport they will lose that connection...if you don't have that connection you are far less likely to be involved in it as a fan...today's youth just isn't geared to something as slow-paced as baseball and I think you will see that as they become adults they won't have an emotional connection to the sport like past generations...

 

[dparker713]

I see baseball taking a big hit in about 10-15 years...kids today do not see it as the National pastime and they do not have the connection to the sport of previous generatons...I know where I live lax is absolutely blowing the doors off of baseball especialy when it comes to the good young athletes...

This is a constant refrain. It completely ignores the fact that priorities and tastes change as you age.When my friends and I were in our teens and twenties it was all about football and college basketball and sometimes the NBA, and baseball was an afterthought. We liked events/appointment viewing and ridiculous athleticism and excitement. Now that we're in our thirties, most of us are baseball fans first and foremost. It's relaxing more often as it's thrilling, which is a good thing when your life becomes stressful and your schedule is full. You can take your wife and kids to a game without breaking the bank. It's a really interesting common ground for conversation and debate. And it's there every night, which means you don't have to plan your schedule around it. If you've got a free night, there's a game to watch. Basically, it's a sport for grown-ups.Are American kids into baseball like they were in the 50s? Of course not. But they weren't in the 80s and 90s either, and the game hasn't suffered yet.

I think you're missing one major point...if kids are playing lax they are NOT playing baseball...in the past Little League was a constant for pretty much every American male in his youth...it's something you did therefore there was a connection to the sport...if kids stop playing the sport they will lose that connection...if you don't have that connection you are far less likely to be involved in it as a fan...today's youth just isn't geared to something as slow-paced as baseball and I think you will see that as they become adults they won't have an emotional connection to the sport like past generations...

There are plenty of people that never played football that a big fans. And nearly every boy and alot of girls have been playing soccer for decades - hasn't translated into a massive fanbase as of yet. Plus, playing lax or baseball need not be an either or proposition, even if they're playing in the same season.

 

[Daywalker]

Got to think the doubling of the % of Hispanics in the population during the next 50 years will have a positive effect on the popularity of MLB. Would think lots of growth for soccer here as well as a slight uptick for MLB. Could also see the NBA holding steady as they expand the game overseas something they are more likely to suceed at then NFL IMO. Can't imagine NFL not being #1 but I think it's at a peak.

 

[TobiasFunke]

I see baseball taking a big hit in about 10-15 years...kids today do not see it as the National pastime and they do not have the connection to the sport of previous generatons...I know where I live lax is absolutely blowing the doors off of baseball especialy when it comes to the good young athletes...

This is a constant refrain. It completely ignores the fact that priorities and tastes change as you age.When my friends and I were in our teens and twenties it was all about football and college basketball and sometimes the NBA, and baseball was an afterthought. We liked events/appointment viewing and ridiculous athleticism and excitement. Now that we're in our thirties, most of us are baseball fans first and foremost. It's relaxing more often as it's thrilling, which is a good thing when your life becomes stressful and your schedule is full. You can take your wife and kids to a game without breaking the bank. It's a really interesting common ground for conversation and debate. And it's there every night, which means you don't have to plan your schedule around it. If you've got a free night, there's a game to watch. Basically, it's a sport for grown-ups.Are American kids into baseball like they were in the 50s? Of course not. But they weren't in the 80s and 90s either, and the game hasn't suffered yet.

I think you're missing one major point...if kids are playing lax they are NOT playing baseball...in the past Little League was a constant for pretty much every American male in his youth...it's something you did therefore there was a connection to the sport...if kids stop playing the sport they will lose that connection...if you don't have that connection you are far less likely to be involved in it as a fan...today's youth just isn't geared to something as slow-paced as baseball and I think you will see that as they become adults they won't have an emotional connection to the sport like past generations...

I don't think the masses are running to the lacrosse field of America. I base that both on personal observation and the fact that if you google "growth of youth lacrosse," the first hit is an article about a single guy bringing the sport to Hawaii and by the fourth or fifth hit it goes to random facebook pages. If this "lacrosse boom" was really a thing there would at least be an article about it or something.Sure baseball isn't as popular in America as it was in past generations, but as I said it wasn't as popular for kids in the 80s and 90s as it was in the 50s and 60s, and the game isn't suffering today because of that. The game is growing internationally, which makes up for the talent difference, and it's gaining fans as they reach adulthood/middle age, as it always has. Plus it helps that the other sports are pricing 95% of the population out of the live game experience while baseball tickets are still cheap.

 

[Wrigley]

I see baseball taking a big hit in about 10-15 years...kids today do not see it as the National pastime and they do not have the connection to the sport of previous generatons...I know where I live lax is absolutely blowing the doors off of baseball especialy when it comes to the good young athletes...

This is a constant refrain. It completely ignores the fact that priorities and tastes change as you age.When my friends and I were in our teens and twenties it was all about football and college basketball and sometimes the NBA, and baseball was an afterthought. We liked events/appointment viewing and ridiculous athleticism and excitement. Now that we're in our thirties, most of us are baseball fans first and foremost. It's relaxing more often as it's thrilling, which is a good thing when your life becomes stressful and your schedule is full. You can take your wife and kids to a game without breaking the bank. It's a really interesting common ground for conversation and debate. And it's there every night, which means you don't have to plan your schedule around it. If you've got a free night, there's a game to watch. Basically, it's a sport for grown-ups.

Are American kids into baseball like they were in the 50s? Of course not. But they weren't in the 80s and 90s either, and the game hasn't suffered yet.

I think you're missing one major point...if kids are playing lax they are NOT playing baseball...in the past Little League was a constant for pretty much every American male in his youth...it's something you did therefore there was a connection to the sport...if kids stop playing the sport they will lose that connection...if you don't have that connection you are far less likely to be involved in it as a fan...today's youth just isn't geared to something as slow-paced as baseball and I think you will see that as they become adults they won't have an emotional connection to the sport like past generations...

I don't think the masses are running to the lacrosse field of America. I base that both on personal observation and the fact that if you google "growth of youth lacrosse," the first hit is an article about a single guy bringing the sport to Hawaii and by the fourth or fifth hit it goes to random facebook pages. If this "lacrosse boom" was really a thing there would at least be an article about it or something.Sure baseball isn't as popular in America as it was in past generations, but as I said it wasn't as popular for kids in the 80s and 90s as it was in the 50s and 60s, and the game isn't suffering today because of that. The game is growing internationally, which makes up for the talent difference, and it's gaining fans as they reach adulthood/middle age, as it always has. Plus it helps that the other sports are pricing 95% of the population out of the live game experience while baseball tickets are still cheap.

I don't know, my team is really trying to price the casual fan out of the ball park.Wrigley field bleacher seats used to be the cheapest in the park($5 at the gate when I was a kid) to well over $50 now.......just a few years ago tickets were in the $25 range.

Will these prices stop me and my family from attending Wrigley? No. Not so sure the casual fan wouldn't take their dollar elsewhere.

 

[TobiasFunke]

I don't know, my team is really trying to price the casual fan out of the ball park.Wrigley field bleacher seats used to be the cheapest in the park($5 at the gate when I was a kid) to well over $50 now.......just a few years ago tickets were in the $25 range.Will these prices stop me and my family from attending Wrigley? No. Not so sure the casual fan wouldn't take their dollar elsewhere.

That sucks. I went to the Cubs ticket site to check on it and they did have some reasonable options, like the "Holiday Gift Packs," but still, ouch. My condolences.

 

[Boston]

I see baseball taking a big hit in about 10-15 years...kids today do not see it as the National pastime and they do not have the connection to the sport of previous generatons...I know where I live lax is absolutely blowing the doors off of baseball especialy when it comes to the good young athletes...

This is a constant refrain. It completely ignores the fact that priorities and tastes change as you age.When my friends and I were in our teens and twenties it was all about football and college basketball and sometimes the NBA, and baseball was an afterthought. We liked events/appointment viewing and ridiculous athleticism and excitement. Now that we're in our thirties, most of us are baseball fans first and foremost. It's relaxing more often as it's thrilling, which is a good thing when your life becomes stressful and your schedule is full. You can take your wife and kids to a game without breaking the bank. It's a really interesting common ground for conversation and debate. And it's there every night, which means you don't have to plan your schedule around it. If you've got a free night, there's a game to watch. Basically, it's a sport for grown-ups.Are American kids into baseball like they were in the 50s? Of course not. But they weren't in the 80s and 90s either, and the game hasn't suffered yet.

I think you're missing one major point...if kids are playing lax they are NOT playing baseball...in the past Little League was a constant for pretty much every American male in his youth...it's something you did therefore there was a connection to the sport...if kids stop playing the sport they will lose that connection...if you don't have that connection you are far less likely to be involved in it as a fan...today's youth just isn't geared to something as slow-paced as baseball and I think you will see that as they become adults they won't have an emotional connection to the sport like past generations...

I don't think the masses are running to the lacrosse field of America. I base that both on personal observation and the fact that if you google "growth of youth lacrosse," the first hit is an article about a single guy bringing the sport to Hawaii and by the fourth or fifth hit it goes to random facebook pages. If this "lacrosse boom" was really a thing there would at least be an article about it or something.Sure baseball isn't as popular in America as it was in past generations, but as I said it wasn't as popular for kids in the 80s and 90s as it was in the 50s and 60s, and the game isn't suffering today because of that. The game is growing internationally, which makes up for the talent difference, and it's gaining fans as they reach adulthood/middle age, as it always has. Plus it helps that the other sports are pricing 95% of the population out of the live game experience while baseball tickets are still cheap.

http://phillylacrosse.com/2010/03/09/national-lacrosse-participation-is-up-8-4-percent-upward-trend-continues-in-pa/http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304392704576376023954172808.htmlhttp://www.uslacrosse.org/pdf/08participation.pdfhttp://thegrowthblog.blogspot.com/2011/05/us-lacrosse-releases-2010-participation.htmlHere's a few articles I dug-up on Google about Lax numbers...as I stated above in my town which has very strong athletic programs in all the major sports baseball numbers have been dropping dramatically and Lax numbers (and hockey and football...not that effects baseball) are doing the exact opposite...the demographic where you see it the most are the good athletes...the big complaint is they are bored by the pace of baseball which I find reflective of today's generation...also a big issue is the talent difference at the early levels is becoming so vast...in our youth you always played some form of baseball be it pickle, home-run derby or wiffle ball...many kids today don't do that so when they play organized ball they are severely lacking in the fundamentals...what that leads to is the good players having to play with kids who basically can't play which enhances the boredom...maybe it's different in other areas of the country but in my town and the surrounding ones that's what is going-on...now maybe that won't translate into these kids watching baseball as adults but I have to believe that the less ties these kids have to baseball the more likely they are to not follow it too closely later on in life...

 

[Eephus]

I'll be dead in 50 years but I'm putting my urn out on a limb that baseball will be less popular than football but still more popular than lacrosse

 

[TobiasFunke]

I see baseball taking a big hit in about 10-15 years...kids today do not see it as the National pastime and they do not have the connection to the sport of previous generatons...I know where I live lax is absolutely blowing the doors off of baseball especialy when it comes to the good young athletes...

This is a constant refrain. It completely ignores the fact that priorities and tastes change as you age.When my friends and I were in our teens and twenties it was all about football and college basketball and sometimes the NBA, and baseball was an afterthought. We liked events/appointment viewing and ridiculous athleticism and excitement. Now that we're in our thirties, most of us are baseball fans first and foremost. It's relaxing more often as it's thrilling, which is a good thing when your life becomes stressful and your schedule is full. You can take your wife and kids to a game without breaking the bank. It's a really interesting common ground for conversation and debate. And it's there every night, which means you don't have to plan your schedule around it. If you've got a free night, there's a game to watch. Basically, it's a sport for grown-ups.

Are American kids into baseball like they were in the 50s? Of course not. But they weren't in the 80s and 90s either, and the game hasn't suffered yet.

I think you're missing one major point...if kids are playing lax they are NOT playing baseball...in the past Little League was a constant for pretty much every American male in his youth...it's something you did therefore there was a connection to the sport...if kids stop playing the sport they will lose that connection...if you don't have that connection you are far less likely to be involved in it as a fan...today's youth just isn't geared to something as slow-paced as baseball and I think you will see that as they become adults they won't have an emotional connection to the sport like past generations...

I don't think the masses are running to the lacrosse field of America. I base that both on personal observation and the fact that if you google "growth of youth lacrosse," the first hit is an article about a single guy bringing the sport to Hawaii and by the fourth or fifth hit it goes to random facebook pages. If this "lacrosse boom" was really a thing there would at least be an article about it or something.Sure baseball isn't as popular in America as it was in past generations, but as I said it wasn't as popular for kids in the 80s and 90s as it was in the 50s and 60s, and the game isn't suffering today because of that. The game is growing internationally, which makes up for the talent difference, and it's gaining fans as they reach adulthood/middle age, as it always has. Plus it helps that the other sports are pricing 95% of the population out of the live game experience while baseball tickets are still cheap.

http://phillylacrosse.com/2010/03/09/national-lacrosse-participation-is-up-8-4-percent-upward-trend-continues-in-pa/http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304392704576376023954172808.html

http://www.uslacrosse.org/pdf/08participation.pdf

http://thegrowthblog.blogspot.com/2011/05/us-lacrosse-releases-2010-participation.html

Here's a few articles I dug-up on Google about Lax numbers...as I stated above in my town which has very strong athletic programs in all the major sports baseball numbers have been dropping dramatically and Lax numbers (and hockey and football...not that effects baseball) are doing the exact opposite...the demographic where you see it the most are the good athletes...the big complaint is they are bored by the pace of baseball which I find reflective of today's generation...also a big issue is the talent difference at the early levels is becoming so vast...in our youth you always played some form of baseball be it pickle, home-run derby or wiffle ball...many kids today don't do that so when they play organized ball they are severely lacking in the fundamentals...what that leads to is the good players having to play with kids who basically can't play which enhances the boredom...maybe it's different in other areas of the country but in my town and the surrounding ones that's what is going-on...now maybe that won't translate into these kids watching baseball as adults but I have to believe that the less ties these kids have to baseball the more likely they are to not follow it too closely later on in life...

I grew up in Maryland. Lacrosse is way more popular here than everywhere else in the country. And yet the area somehow is able to support two MLB teams even though one of them hasn't done anything interesting in over a decade and the other hasn't done anything interesting since 1924.I think the game can survive lacrosse.

 

[Thunderlips]

I see baseball taking a big hit in about 10-15 years...kids today do not see it as the National pastime and they do not have the connection to the sport of previous generatons...I know where I live lax is absolutely blowing the doors off of baseball especialy when it comes to the good young athletes...

This is a constant refrain. It completely ignores the fact that priorities and tastes change as you age.When my friends and I were in our teens and twenties it was all about football and college basketball and sometimes the NBA, and baseball was an afterthought. We liked events/appointment viewing and ridiculous athleticism and excitement. Now that we're in our thirties, most of us are baseball fans first and foremost. It's relaxing more often as it's thrilling, which is a good thing when your life becomes stressful and your schedule is full. You can take your wife and kids to a game without breaking the bank. It's a really interesting common ground for conversation and debate. And it's there every night, which means you don't have to plan your schedule around it. If you've got a free night, there's a game to watch. Basically, it's a sport for grown-ups.

Are American kids into baseball like they were in the 50s? Of course not. But they weren't in the 80s and 90s either, and the game hasn't suffered yet.

I think you're missing one major point...if kids are playing lax they are NOT playing baseball...in the past Little League was a constant for pretty much every American male in his youth...it's something you did therefore there was a connection to the sport...if kids stop playing the sport they will lose that connection...if you don't have that connection you are far less likely to be involved in it as a fan...today's youth just isn't geared to something as slow-paced as baseball and I think you will see that as they become adults they won't have an emotional connection to the sport like past generations...

I don't think the masses are running to the lacrosse field of America. I base that both on personal observation and the fact that if you google "growth of youth lacrosse," the first hit is an article about a single guy bringing the sport to Hawaii and by the fourth or fifth hit it goes to random facebook pages. If this "lacrosse boom" was really a thing there would at least be an article about it or something.Sure baseball isn't as popular in America as it was in past generations, but as I said it wasn't as popular for kids in the 80s and 90s as it was in the 50s and 60s, and the game isn't suffering today because of that. The game is growing internationally, which makes up for the talent difference, and it's gaining fans as they reach adulthood/middle age, as it always has. Plus it helps that the other sports are pricing 95% of the population out of the live game experience while baseball tickets are still cheap.

I don't know, my team is really trying to price the casual fan out of the ball park.Wrigley field bleacher seats used to be the cheapest in the park($5 at the gate when I was a kid) to well over $50 now.......just a few years ago tickets were in the $25 range.

Will these prices stop me and my family from attending Wrigley? No. Not so sure the casual fan wouldn't take their dollar elsewhere.

I always thought that more and more they were taking them to Minor league affiliates.....where it's actually a pretty darned good value.

 

[dparker713]

I don't know, my team is really trying to price the casual fan out of the ball park.Wrigley field bleacher seats used to be the cheapest in the park($5 at the gate when I was a kid) to well over $50 now.......just a few years ago tickets were in the $25 range.Will these prices stop me and my family from attending Wrigley? No. Not so sure the casual fan wouldn't take their dollar elsewhere.

Wrigley Field bleachers are not really a good example though. They're extremely popular, especially for the tourist crowd. Its a big party out there

 

[Smack Tripper]

'Monday Night Football' ratings down for season

Last Updated: 6:24 AM, December 31, 2011

Posted: 10:06 PM, December 30, 2011

ESPN’s mega-successful “Monday Night Football” franchise has taken a significant hit in the ratings this season.

According to Nielsen data, “MNF” slipped almost 10 percent in viewers this year, its sixth season — quite a dropoff from last year, when the telecast broke ratings records on ESPN.

This year, the telecast averaged 13.3 million viewers, down from 14.7 million viewers in 2010.

The Dec. 26 Saints-Falcons game averaged 15.6 million viewers — compared to the Dec. 27, 2010 Saints-Falcons game (19 million viewers).

Despite the drop, “MNF” remains cable’s most-watched program, and ESPN’s biggest weekly draw.

Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/entertainment/tv/mnf_thrown_for_loss_gEkGiC6mKDF5Otqh1IPerJ#ixzz1i8mgTVHx

It was a down year for MNF game wise, but still.....

 

[Boston]

I see baseball taking a big hit in about 10-15 years...kids today do not see it as the National pastime and they do not have the connection to the sport of previous generatons...I know where I live lax is absolutely blowing the doors off of baseball especialy when it comes to the good young athletes...

This is a constant refrain. It completely ignores the fact that priorities and tastes change as you age.When my friends and I were in our teens and twenties it was all about football and college basketball and sometimes the NBA, and baseball was an afterthought. We liked events/appointment viewing and ridiculous athleticism and excitement. Now that we're in our thirties, most of us are baseball fans first and foremost. It's relaxing more often as it's thrilling, which is a good thing when your life becomes stressful and your schedule is full. You can take your wife and kids to a game without breaking the bank. It's a really interesting common ground for conversation and debate. And it's there every night, which means you don't have to plan your schedule around it. If you've got a free night, there's a game to watch. Basically, it's a sport for grown-ups.

Are American kids into baseball like they were in the 50s? Of course not. But they weren't in the 80s and 90s either, and the game hasn't suffered yet.

I think you're missing one major point...if kids are playing lax they are NOT playing baseball...in the past Little League was a constant for pretty much every American male in his youth...it's something you did therefore there was a connection to the sport...if kids stop playing the sport they will lose that connection...if you don't have that connection you are far less likely to be involved in it as a fan...today's youth just isn't geared to something as slow-paced as baseball and I think you will see that as they become adults they won't have an emotional connection to the sport like past generations...

I don't think the masses are running to the lacrosse field of America. I base that both on personal observation and the fact that if you google "growth of youth lacrosse," the first hit is an article about a single guy bringing the sport to Hawaii and by the fourth or fifth hit it goes to random facebook pages. If this "lacrosse boom" was really a thing there would at least be an article about it or something.Sure baseball isn't as popular in America as it was in past generations, but as I said it wasn't as popular for kids in the 80s and 90s as it was in the 50s and 60s, and the game isn't suffering today because of that. The game is growing internationally, which makes up for the talent difference, and it's gaining fans as they reach adulthood/middle age, as it always has. Plus it helps that the other sports are pricing 95% of the population out of the live game experience while baseball tickets are still cheap.

http://phillylacrosse.com/2010/03/09/national-lacrosse-participation-is-up-8-4-percent-upward-trend-continues-in-pa/http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304392704576376023954172808.html

http://www.uslacrosse.org/pdf/08participation.pdf

http://thegrowthblog.blogspot.com/2011/05/us-lacrosse-releases-2010-participation.html

Here's a few articles I dug-up on Google about Lax numbers...as I stated above in my town which has very strong athletic programs in all the major sports baseball numbers have been dropping dramatically and Lax numbers (and hockey and football...not that effects baseball) are doing the exact opposite...the demographic where you see it the most are the good athletes...the big complaint is they are bored by the pace of baseball which I find reflective of today's generation...also a big issue is the talent difference at the early levels is becoming so vast...in our youth you always played some form of baseball be it pickle, home-run derby or wiffle ball...many kids today don't do that so when they play organized ball they are severely lacking in the fundamentals...what that leads to is the good players having to play with kids who basically can't play which enhances the boredom...maybe it's different in other areas of the country but in my town and the surrounding ones that's what is going-on...now maybe that won't translate into these kids watching baseball as adults but I have to believe that the less ties these kids have to baseball the more likely they are to not follow it too closely later on in life...

I grew up in Maryland. Lacrosse is way more popular here than everywhere else in the country. And yet the area somehow is able to support two MLB teams even though one of them hasn't done anything interesting in over a decade and the other hasn't done anything interesting since 1924.I think the game can survive lacrosse.

The question isn't survival...that's not an issue as baseball is an institution...it's whether it will gain popularity in the future which I don't see happening for a few reasons...that being said we can BS all we want but we won't really know for another 10-15 years...

 

[Boston]

I'll be dead in 50 years but I'm putting my urn out on a limb that baseball will be less popular than football but still more popular than lacrosse

I'm not saying that lax will ultimately be more popular than baseball...that's a huge stretch...I am saying that I believe it will cut into the future popularity of baseball...

 

[Smack Tripper]

I see baseball taking a big hit in about 10-15 years...kids today do not see it as the National pastime and they do not have the connection to the sport of previous generatons...I know where I live lax is absolutely blowing the doors off of baseball especialy when it comes to the good young athletes...

This is a constant refrain. It completely ignores the fact that priorities and tastes change as you age.When my friends and I were in our teens and twenties it was all about football and college basketball and sometimes the NBA, and baseball was an afterthought. We liked events/appointment viewing and ridiculous athleticism and excitement. Now that we're in our thirties, most of us are baseball fans first and foremost. It's relaxing more often as it's thrilling, which is a good thing when your life becomes stressful and your schedule is full. You can take your wife and kids to a game without breaking the bank. It's a really interesting common ground for conversation and debate. And it's there every night, which means you don't have to plan your schedule around it. If you've got a free night, there's a game to watch. Basically, it's a sport for grown-ups.Are American kids into baseball like they were in the 50s? Of course not. But they weren't in the 80s and 90s either, and the game hasn't suffered yet.

I think you're missing one major point...if kids are playing lax they are NOT playing baseball...in the past Little League was a constant for pretty much every American male in his youth...it's something you did therefore there was a connection to the sport...if kids stop playing the sport they will lose that connection...if you don't have that connection you are far less likely to be involved in it as a fan...today's youth just isn't geared to something as slow-paced as baseball and I think you will see that as they become adults they won't have an emotional connection to the sport like past generations...

I don't think the masses are running to the lacrosse field of America. I base that both on personal observation and the fact that if you google "growth of youth lacrosse," the first hit is an article about a single guy bringing the sport to Hawaii and by the fourth or fifth hit it goes to random facebook pages. If this "lacrosse boom" was really a thing there would at least be an article about it or something.Sure baseball isn't as popular in America as it was in past generations, but as I said it wasn't as popular for kids in the 80s and 90s as it was in the 50s and 60s, and the game isn't suffering today because of that. The game is growing internationally, which makes up for the talent difference, and it's gaining fans as they reach adulthood/middle age, as it always has. Plus it helps that the other sports are pricing 95% of the population out of the live game experience while baseball tickets are still cheap.

http://phillylacrosse.com/2010/03/09/national-lacrosse-participation-is-up-8-4-percent-upward-trend-continues-in-pa/http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304392704576376023954172808.htmlhttp://www.uslacrosse.org/pdf/08participation.pdfhttp://thegrowthblog.blogspot.com/2011/05/us-lacrosse-releases-2010-participation.htmlHere's a few articles I dug-up on Google about Lax numbers...as I stated above in my town which has very strong athletic programs in all the major sports baseball numbers have been dropping dramatically and Lax numbers (and hockey and football...not that effects baseball) are doing the exact opposite...the demographic where you see it the most are the good athletes...the big complaint is they are bored by the pace of baseball which I find reflective of today's generation...also a big issue is the talent difference at the early levels is becoming so vast...in our youth you always played some form of baseball be it pickle, home-run derby or wiffle ball...many kids today don't do that so when they play organized ball they are severely lacking in the fundamentals...what that leads to is the good players having to play with kids who basically can't play which enhances the boredom...maybe it's different in other areas of the country but in my town and the surrounding ones that's what is going-on...now maybe that won't translate into these kids watching baseball as adults but I have to believe that the less ties these kids have to baseball the more likely they are to not follow it too closely later on in life...

Lax isn't TV friendly and will thus always be limited. Soccer and hockey also suffer from this, but who knows, maybe as screens get bigger and wider, the notion of what's tv friendly will change. Baseball and football are MASSIVELY tv friendly as is hoops for the most part. Most play happens in a single frame.

 

[shadyridr]

lax? is that lacrosse? get the #### outta here with that nonsense. it will not cut into baseballs audience one bit, not even a little.

 

[Doctor Detroit]

lax? is that lacrosse? get the #### outta here with that nonsense. it will not cut into baseballs audience one bit, not even a little.

I went to a professional lacrosse game in Buffalo like ten years ago, it was fun.Only game I've ever seen.

 

[Mentos]

I don't personally know anyone who likes lacrosse and I know several people.

 

[jon_mx]

I don't personally know anyone who likes lacrosse and I know several people.

I could get on board with lacrosse. They just need to add lingerie and I all in.

 

[John Bender]

I much prefer baseball to the NFL (and every other sport really) but I don't see it ever gaining in popularity compared to the NFL.

I only do fantasy baseball and quit football due to the ridiculous amount of injuries and unpredictability - and I enjoy it a lot more.

That said, the pace of games makes baseball close to unwatchable to the layman. Even a big fan like me uses his cell phone during a game, playing some game or finishing up some work emails. It's the type of game where you can not watch for 10-15 minutes and literally miss nothing. I think the major issue is the slow pace of the games - it takes a much more cerebral person to be able to watch it intently. I personally love the nuances of stats and sabremetrics, etc. Football is more stripped down and straight forward. I don't see it happening.

 

[Thunderlips]

Baseball isn't as much as an "event" sport as football....it's just there. It's an integral part of spring, summer and early fall that can either be at the forefront; sitting at the edge of your seat waiting on every pitch....or in the background; having the game on the radio while you're doing yard work, in the pool, playing horseshoes or whatever. That's baseball's real strength to me.

 

[Doctor Detroit]

Baseball isn't as much as an "event" sport as football....it's just there. It's an integral part of spring, summer and early fall that can either be at the forefront; sitting at the edge of your seat waiting on every pitch....or in the background; having the game on the radio while you're doing yard work, in the pool, playing horseshoes or whatever. That's baseball's real strength to me.

Well said.

 

[PIK95]

Goaaallllll! Ahhhhhhhhh!