Do people other than RedSox/Yankees fans care about this rivalry? (1 Viewer)

[jylly18]

I understand the history of it and I recognize the importance of it in regards to the division title but I don't need them to talk about it this much. I would prefer them to go more in depth into other teams so I can learn more about teams I don't get to see. Maybe I am in the minority here but as a non-Yankees/Red Sox can I do not think this series or these teams are any more important that most others.

 

[jabarony]

Nope. Most people other than Billy Crystal & Jimmy Fallon fans don't give a rat'sass.

 

[Workhorse]

Red Sox/Yankees games consistently pull the highest national TV ratings of any baseball matchup, by a very wide margin. Clearly, baseball fans around the country care about the rivalry.

 

[Darth Cheney]

Of course you do.

 

[jylly18]

I know I don't but I think it is a self fulfilling prophecy with these teams in terms of ratings. People care because we are force fed coverage and in turn learn the names, places, and stories involved and then start to care. I think people would care just as much about the Cubs/Cards rivalry if we heard about it on the radio for many years, led of Sportscenter, were on the cover of SI, etc.

 

[Darth Cheney]

From an unbiased perspective, I think the rivalry is something that has just come about in the past few years with the inception of the wildcard and Boston always backing into the playoffs. In the past, Boston's perpetual inferiority meant that an overwhelming majority of the games between the two were meaningless. I always thought that the historical relationship was more of a Foghorn Leghorn/Chicken Hawk situation where the chicken hawk(Boston) was constantly puffing out his chest and challeneging Foghorn (The Yankees) to a fight while Foghorn would just brush the chicken hawk aside, say "go away son, you bother me" and look towards more important matters.

 

[Darth Cheney]

I know I don't but I think it is a self fulfilling prophecy with these teams in terms of ratings. People care because we are force fed coverage and in turn learn the names, places, and stories involved and then start to care. I think people would care just as much about the Cubs/Cards rivalry if we heard about it on the radio for many years, led of Sportscenter, were on the cover of SI, etc.

A buddy of mine from St. Louis says that this is the best rivalry also. The biggest thing with this though is that the Cards have been very good while the Cubs haven't. It's hard to have a rivalry when one team dominates through the history. In addition, I always thought that the stereotypes of those fans (Cards fans as good,polite baseball enthusiasts and Cubs fans as gee we're just happy to drink and frolick in the sun at Wrigley) was to a point true....which leads to a calmer game.FWIW, I think that the number one rivalry for the next five years will be Mets/Phillies. Both fanbases are young,loud and obnoxious....they both have really good teams in the same division....ballparks that can accomodate a number of visiting fans(unlike Fenway) and both haven't won in awhile.

 

[curta269]

I follow the rivalry, but I am a big baseball fan. And, they usually play good games against each other which makes them interesting.

I'm a Cardinal fan and the Cubs/Cards rivalry is pretty big. While living in Central Illinois, I was always harrassed by Cub fans. Especially during the playoffs. I would go to a bar to watch the Cardinals, and there were always Cub fans in there rooting for the other team. P####d me off! I would confront them, and ask them why they cared who won or not. They just hated the Cardinals that much.

 

[Finless]

Since Boston began building it's Dynasty a few years ago, there really hasn't been much to the rivalry. I think those days are behind us all.

 

[Greco]

IF you are a fan of baseball, you are a fan of this rivalry.

 

[Eviloutsider]

IF you are a fan of baseball, you are of any game on TV regardless of what ESPN tells us.

 

[Yankee23Fan]

Since Boston began building it's Dynasty a few years ago, there really hasn't been much to the rivalry. I think those days are behind us all.

Still trying to fish with this?

 

[[icon]]

Since Boston began building it's Dynasty a few years ago, there really hasn't been much to the rivalry. I think those days are behind us all.

 

[Finless]

Since Boston began building it's Dynasty a few years ago, there really hasn't been much to the rivalry. I think those days are behind us all.

Still trying to fish with this?

Oldest bait on the pier. In all seriousness, who plays harder against each other? If you like a good baseball game the only reason you have to not like a Sox Yanks match up is because your own team in getting the prime time snub. Seriously, 3 out of 4 games is hi drama.

 

[Liquid Tension]

I understand the history of it and I recognize the importance of it in regards to the division title but I don't need them to talk about it this much. I would prefer them to go more in depth into other teams so I can learn more about teams I don't get to see. Maybe I am in the minority here but as a non-Yankees/Red Sox can I do not think this series or these teams are any more important that most others.

Well most people like to watch two of the to teams go at it...even if you don't like them

 

[erikf08]

Well, baseball viewer ratings are not that high to begin with, but when Boston vs NY play each other, the ratings spike up. Maybe that has to do with the large Boston/NY markets, but clearly others around the nation watch more when these two teams play than any other two.

 

[commisholio]

No. That game last night was beyond tedious.

 

[Kevin Ashcraft]

If you understand that ESPN is no longer a national network, then I can stomach it.

Even upwards of 15 years ago, it was not like this. Many teams got air time on Sportscenter. Or at least it felt less like an elitist network, or as others would say, the Eastern Seaboard Propaganda Network

Would BOS/NY be as big a deal if ESPN we based in Chicago or even Dallas? I bet not. It is the same reason people are sick of the New England Patriots and to some degree ACC College Basketball. ESPN cherry picks what they "think" appeals to the most amount of people and even if it does not, they stick with it.

I have old ESPN footage from the 80s and 90s -- there were Sunday Night baseball games between Oakland and KC for an example. And what's more, ESPN personalities at least feigned knowledge of every team and could actually speak about the merits of each team. This simply is not the case today.

 

[pollardsvision]

ESPN certainly plays a major role, as the main nationwide sports-hype machine. keep in mind, though, that ESPN is in the business of making money, not ensuring that every team gets equal coverage.

they cover and show the teams that they think will generate the most interest. MLB deserves most of the blame for this (heavy yankee-sox coverage). often, the stars end up in NY and BOS where the larger payrolls are.

maybe the ESPN had more coverage of teams like KC and OAK back in the 80's b/c OAK had some monster teams and that was a time when KC could keep a 1st ballot HOFer on their roster for his entire career? blame MLB, not east coast bias.

it could be a regional bias that causes so much patriot coverage. or it could be that they won 3 SBs, made a run at 19-0, and had a major cheating scandal.

in the NBA, ESPN has no problem shifting heavy coverage to the lakers, spurs, suns, and mavericks over the past few years.

ESPN has no problem going overboard covering the packers and favre b/c people find them interesting.

they also have no problem hyping michigan-ohio state in football.

i'm not a yankees or red sox fan, but i watch when they play b/c it's interesting baseball.

i do not think ESPN covers them so much simply b/c they are located in connecticut.