GoFuckYourself.com - Adult Webmaster Forum - View Single Post - Baseball going to officially be declared dead as America's 'national pastime'?

kane · 10-30-2008, 12:40 PM

I am a big baseball fan and I think it is far from dead. Sure there are teams that don't do so well and don't draw that many fans because they are either in a bad market or always losing. The Rays are a great example. They sucked since day 1 of their existence and this year even with only a few weeks left in the season they were in a race for the AL East pennant and they were still playing in front of a half full crowd. Only when it got real close to the end did the start drawing bigger crowds.. Mutt makes a good point. When teams get a new stadium people go to check it out and they draw well, but if they don't field a good team the stadium alone can only be a draw for so long.

Baseball has always been a regional game. They enjoy a large fanbase from their home cities and surrounding areas but there are only a few teams that have a real national fanbase. The Red Sox, Yankees, Dodgers and Cubs all have fans nationwide, but unless you live in the northwest you probably don't give a damn about the Mariners. The NFL has big regional followers, but most teams also enjoy a national following.

The thing I think I like most about baseball is that while there is no salary cap there is still chances for the little guy to make good. Sure the Yankees and Red Sox spend a ton and are always in the mix, but sometimes they aren't and every year there seems to be a small team from a small market that makes a splash. The Rockies last year and this year the Rays and Phillies hadn't been in the mix in a long time. The Mets continue to spend money and fail as do the Cubs. So for me it is always new and interesting and it is something you can actually afford to take your kids to (if you have them). You can get a seat the bleachers for most teams for under $20 get a beer and a hot dog and enjoy an afternoon at the park. You can walk around and see the park and watch batting practice and just have a fun, lazy afternoon or evening and you never know what you are going to see. Maybe that night someone throws a no hitter or hits for the cycle or you get to see triple play.

Baseball has been around over 100 years. It has survived world wars, strikes, and a a depression. It is going nowhere anytime soon.

10-30-2008, 12:40 PM
kane Too lazy to set a custom title Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: portland, OR Posts: 20,684	I am a big baseball fan and I think it is far from dead. Sure there are teams that don't do so well and don't draw that many fans because they are either in a bad market or always losing. The Rays are a great example. They sucked since day 1 of their existence and this year even with only a few weeks left in the season they were in a race for the AL East pennant and they were still playing in front of a half full crowd. Only when it got real close to the end did the start drawing bigger crowds.. Mutt makes a good point. When teams get a new stadium people go to check it out and they draw well, but if they don't field a good team the stadium alone can only be a draw for so long. Baseball has always been a regional game. They enjoy a large fanbase from their home cities and surrounding areas but there are only a few teams that have a real national fanbase. The Red Sox, Yankees, Dodgers and Cubs all have fans nationwide, but unless you live in the northwest you probably don't give a damn about the Mariners. The NFL has big regional followers, but most teams also enjoy a national following. The thing I think I like most about baseball is that while there is no salary cap there is still chances for the little guy to make good. Sure the Yankees and Red Sox spend a ton and are always in the mix, but sometimes they aren't and every year there seems to be a small team from a small market that makes a splash. The Rockies last year and this year the Rays and Phillies hadn't been in the mix in a long time. The Mets continue to spend money and fail as do the Cubs. So for me it is always new and interesting and it is something you can actually afford to take your kids to (if you have them). You can get a seat the bleachers for most teams for under $20 get a beer and a hot dog and enjoy an afternoon at the park. You can walk around and see the park and watch batting practice and just have a fun, lazy afternoon or evening and you never know what you are going to see. Maybe that night someone throws a no hitter or hits for the cycle or you get to see triple play. Baseball has been around over 100 years. It has survived world wars, strikes, and a a depression. It is going nowhere anytime soon.