MLB ... average age of fans ...

[dawgduice]

53 !!!! I know money is being made but unless "they" figure out how to draw younger fan interest the future does not look so great. I was in a local "pub" yesterday , 4 big screen TVs, Yankees vs Mets with 2 people watching. NO ONE else was interested.
OK, is it the pace of the game? What do you think is wrong and what changes do you think can be made? I have some ideas, but "purists" (the 53 year olds) are tough and "angry".

 

[LionFan96]

There are a number of things that make baseball a dated sport that doesn't get the attention of the younger crowd. 1) There are waaaayyyy too many games. When you have 162 games, until you get to September, a single game at any given time doesn't matter one iota. 2) The pace of the game is extremely slow, in part simply due to the nature of the game and there's nothing that can change that. 3) A baseball game doesn't lend itself to tweeting about it during the game. Over the course of a 3 hour game, there might be 1/2 dozen things someone would find worth tweeting about. Compare that to a football game where there's something to tweet about almost every single play. Like or not, we live in a "what is going on right now in 140 characters or less" society. 4) The steroid era I believe turned a lot of people off of the game. Even today, you have cheaters like ARod and Braun who are known cheats and just giant dbags in general. Their athletes aren't as high profile and many of those that are are high profile for being dbags.

 

[Victor E. Bell]

Don't forget the labor issues as well. I know people who turned on baseball last time there was a stoppage and never came back. I'm getting close in age to that 53 average and still enjoy baseball a lot. I have been a big fan of the game since I was a little kid but I understand people not liking it. It is slow. Golf is slow too. Some games are slow. Kids aren't playing it anymore but there are a lot of things competing for their time.

 

[lein]

53 !!!! I know money is being made but unless "they" figure out how to draw younger fan interest the future does not look so great. I was in a local "pub" yesterday , 4 big screen TVs, Yankees vs Mets with 2 people watching. NO ONE else was interested.
OK, is it the pace of the game? What do you think is wrong and what changes do you think can be made? I have some ideas, but "purists" (the 53 year olds) are tough and "angry".

If the age doesn't change and say 10 years from now it is still 53, it's not really a problem.

 

[9fold]

I would have guessed 83.

Baseball is too slow, and there are too many games to suffer through before anything meaningful happens.

 

[OhioLion]

As far as attending a game, I can't bring myself to spend that kind of money. I would be going to either Detroit or Cleveland.
Watching a game on TV this weekend wouldn't have been much of a problem. Mid 40's and 50's with a cold wind off of Lake Erie. Not excited about doing yardwork. Now, when it gets warm later in the spring and into summer, the last thing I can think of doing is watching a Tigers' game inside the house on TV when it is 75 - 85 and beautiful weather outside.
And, I agree with others, the game is slow. I admit, on a bad weather day with nothing much to do, I put on a BB game and use it to nap to!

 

[dawgduice]

Maybe they could increase the offense by giving the hitters a little better "chance" to hit the ball. Maybe lower the mound an inch or so?
Add the DH to the NL. I know these are minor changes but the game really needs some more offense.

 

[Victor E. Bell]

Runs scored are down over the past 4-5 years, as well as attendance being down from 6-7 years ago but it was on a long sustained growth rally prior to that. I found some numbers on B-R out of curiosity. These trends come and go though. TV ratings I can't speak to. How statistically significant is it that we're down half a run per game over the past 5 years? Not sure, but I recall not that long ago when you talked baseball all you heard was how watered down and crappy the pitching was, so these trends kinda ebb and flow.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/MLB/pitch.shtml

 

[nits74]

I would have guessed 83.

Baseball is too slow, and there are too many games to suffer through before anything meaningful happens.

As a baseball fan I could easily say some of the same things about hockey. The regular season is essentially meaningless and over half the teams make the playoffs. Season extends from October into June. Truth is hockey is run like a garage league, is a niche sport and is in far more trouble than baseball. No one outside the Northeast and rust belt cares about it.

 

[PSUriseANDfire]

That number isn't even close to accurate.

 

[fairgambit]

As a person ages they generally become wiser, gravitating toward the sport of baseball in the process. Not many people realize that Rodin's "Thinker" is actually a baseball fan.

 

[fairgambit]

Baseball needs cheerleaders. Seriously!

 

[PSUriseANDfire]

That's actually true but they would have to be in the stands(even better). Nobody wants to see a cheerleader getting line drived in the head.

Steelers should probably get cheerleaders too. At this point it just seems like the owners that won't allow it are doing it for 1950's reasons.

 

[dtmdmd]

53 !!!! I know money is being made but unless "they" figure out how to draw younger fan interest the future does not look so great. I was in a local "pub" yesterday , 4 big screen TVs, Yankees vs Mets with 2 people watching. NO ONE else was interested.
OK, is it the pace of the game? What do you think is wrong and what changes do you think can be made? I have some ideas, but "purists" (the 53 year olds) are tough and "angry".

One word: LACROSSE

 

[fairgambit]

That's actually true but they would have to be in the stands(even better). Nobody wants to see a cheerleader getting line drived in the head.

Steelers should probably get cheerleaders too. At this point it just seems like the owners that won't allow it are doing it for 1950's reasons.

That lined drived in the head made me laugh, but yes, in the stands. They could do routines between innings, during pitching changes, during rain delays (maybe wet t-shirts). Sure beats pierogi races.

 

[PSUriseANDfire]

If I was Rob Manfred I'd definitely need you on my creative team. Those stupid sausages are good for one stretch. Cheerleaders doing slip n' slide during rain delays would be brilliant. The crowd wouldn't leave. The attendance might go up on days with heavy rain forecast.

 

[fairgambit]

If I was Rob Manfred I'd definitely need you on my creative team. Those stupid sausages are good for one stretch. Cheerleaders doing slip n' slide during rain delays would be brilliant. The crowd wouldn't leave. The attendance might go up on days with heavy rain forecast.

And I agree on the Steelers needing cheerleaders. You likely know they did have them back in the late 60's but they were not what we enjoy today.

 

[Nashville Lion]

53 !!!! I know money is being made but unless "they" figure out how to draw younger fan interest the future does not look so great. I was in a local "pub" yesterday , 4 big screen TVs, Yankees vs Mets with 2 people watching. NO ONE else was interested.
OK, is it the pace of the game? What do you think is wrong and what changes do you think can be made? I have some ideas, but "purists" (the 53 year olds) are tough and "angry".

For me it is the hypocrisy of the sport....letting guys cheat for years...guys like Bonds, Sosa, and mcgwire....letting them all juice and turning a blind eye all while keeping Pete Rose out. yes, Pete messed up but so did so many others. The guy had a betting problem...but it was okay for players to use dope, hit their wives, etc as long as they did not bet on baseball. When Pete is back in the game i might actually give a damn again.

 

[psuro]

It's a boring game.

 

[LemonEars]

Baseball appeals most to those who have played it. If you don't appreciate the subtleties (base running, pitcher - catcher interaction, etc) then it can be boring. Baseball is inherently harder to understand and appreciate than football or basketball. Decades ago baseball was by far the most popular sport in the US. Most older men have played it on organized teams. I think that may be why the average age of baseball fans is a bit older.

 

[bmw199]

I don't think that number is even close to accurate. As someone else pointed out in 10 years I doubt the average age will be 63, so it won't matter. But I think they need nights of cheap hot dogs and cheap beer. Otherwise drastically bring down the price of tickets. Young people will show up for cheap beer/hot dogs. When the Phillies were kicking a few years ago Dollar Dog night was one of towns top tickets. The talent would come out for those games too because they were basically huge social events. Those games are still really popular even though the team stinks. With HDTV all live events are going to start to need to make the experience of being there more attractive, and personally WiFi or some gimmick like that is not even close to worth it. Make one game a week a cool social event that gets young people out and there is no problem. It would also help to pump the live radio feed throughout the concourse.

 

[Obliviax]

Not sure...is that any different than it was 20 years ago? Baseball is more of an older person's sport. Not contesting, just asking. Without historical data, there is no context.

But to your point, the Indians did something interesting this year. They pulled out ~ 10,000 seats and made a couple of terraces that are to be used as party areas. The idea is to make Tribe games and "event" where you are there as much to "be seen" as to "see". AKA, "meat markets."

I think its a great idea. Watch an NBA game; almost without exception a timeout is called and they show the bench area. Check out the people, 70% are on their smartphones not watching at all. They are there for the event, and perhaps the last five minutes. Other than that, they are socializing.

In addition, the Tribe created "zones" for specific focus groups: kid's zone (with playground), family zone that is enforced to be family friendly, these meat markets, outdoor picnic areas, enclosed "club", bleachers, place that dispenses tap-beer in vending machines,

I think its a great idea and may be the future of sporting events.

 

[fairgambit]

It's a boring game.

Especially when you get drilled with a 100mph fastball.

 

[Op2]

I don't know what the solution for MLB is but a 162 game season is absurdly long. They went to 162 from 154 in the early 60s, when baseball was king. Now baseball is no longer king and 162 seems like massive overkill. So a shorter season would be better but if MLB shortened their season it would a big symbolic loss of face.

They start when it's cold because it's too early in the year and they end when it's cold because it's too late in the year. How about starting in mid-April and ending by mid-October?

 

[TheWitchDoctor]

I don't know what the solution for MLB is but a 162 game season is absurdly long. They went to 162 from 154 in the early 60s, when baseball was king. Now baseball is no longer king and 162 seems like massive overkill. So a shorter season would be better but if MLB shortened their season it would a big symbolic loss of face.

They start when it's cold because it's too early in the year and they end when it's cold because it's too late in the year. How about starting in mid-April and ending by mid-October?

Maybe if they didn't play 800 games, and the season begin and end when it's not snowing, that would help. First pitch May 1st. Last World Series game, October 1st.

 

[psuro]

Especially when you get drilled with a 100mph fastball.

Nonsensical Violent acts don't make the game any more interesting.

 

[fairgambit]

Nonsensical Violent acts don't make the game any more interesting.

My play on words "boring game" and "getting drilled" fell flat.

 

[Victor E. Bell]

My play on words "boring game" and "getting drilled" fell flat.

I thought it was a funny bit.

 

[psualt]

I agree with many of the others...season is too long and you have to have played it (or really enjoy it) to appreciate some of the nuances. Otherwise it is just slow and boring. As for kids today, they are playing either soccer or baseball with perhaps lacrosse where it is offered. There just isn't a lot of time to go take in a game when your kids are playing 3 to 4 times the amount of games in a season compared to the number many of us played when growing up.

 

[dawgduice]

The problem is it's a LONG wait for football !!!
I guess this season, for me, is really painful. I'm from the Phila area - 76ers (will be tanking for draft picks for at least the next 10-12 years), Flyers (they did win a Cup before helmets were used), and NOW the worst team in baseball - the Phillies (3-4 years to "re-build" ???). It will be a very long summer I used to be able to watch "some" baseball (Phillies) when there was some offense. Now you have "stars" hitting in the 120s?

 

[PSU-Knocker]

Maybe the season is too long, but I don't see this as a reason why young people would shy away from Baseball more than any other group. I also don't see the cold weather early and late in the season as a reason; the young are less adverse to cold than the older.

One possible answer: the farther we get away from the legends of the game, the less enthralled we become fans. The older folks still have fond memories of those heroes.

 

[Eph97]

I know a lot of fans of small market teams that just gave up. I gave up following the Indians knowing they will never compete. They may have a fluke year but they won't be consistent winners ever. If MLB ever implement a salary cap I'd consider watching again.

 

[A2Nit]

Maybe the season is too long, but I don't see this as a reason why young people would shy away from Baseball more than any other group. I also don't see the cold weather early and late in the season as a reason; the young are less adverse to cold than the older.

One possible answer: the farther we get away from the legends of the game, the less enthralled we become fans. The older folks still have fond memories of those heroes.

This I completely agree. To quote a Finnish Executive I just had drinks with in Copenhagen, "Glory Days" and his was the Oakland Raiders w/ Matt Millen and Marcus Allen, etc. Also, his friends from the 80s Edmonton Oilers Esa Teekanin and Jari Kurri (great stories did he provide about these two...)

But in the end, is your team any good, that is the measure of popularity these days because it is too damn expensive to take your kids to a game anymore and like someone above said, they are also busy with their own activities, be it sports,music, etc....