Passan: Tanking Killing Baseball?

[Aglets]

24 minutes ago, jabba72 said:

What was the problem in the 70's, when the Orioles couldnt draw anyone?

Wild Bill Hagy scared off a lot of little kids?

Beats me actually........this is something I've long wondered.  Why didn't people come out to see the O's on a consistent basis when we were one of the top teams in all of baseball?    BB-Ref says we only averaged 13k fans per game in 1970 for example......seems like that would've been a good team to watch.

[esmd]

Only thing I can think of was Memorial Stadium was a pain to get to.  No convenient highway access, they "stadium" parked you so you were stuck there and couldn't leave early if you chose to, etc.  People that lived in the city could take the bus I guess, but for folks who lived in the suburbs, it was a pain.

[25 Nuggets]

1 hour ago, Tony-OH said:

Part of it was there was a lot less entertainment sources back then as well. Now with TV shows/movies on demand (Netflix and on demand), video games, sports bars, craft breweries, outdoor activities/sports and other sport leagues with overlapping seasons, it's only going to be tougher for MLB to keep it's fan base excited about going out to games.

This is the heart of the issue right here - and it affects sports across the board.  NFL is losing interest, NBA/NHL have problems during the regular season, etc.

College revenue sports are not having as much of a problem because they have a student fanbase (and because they are running a vast employment racket)

This is also tied into (I think quixotic's) theory that the vanishing middle class drives people to find cheaper, easier means of entertainment.

[atomic]

They started the season in March.  That is what is wrong with attendance. You have games in March and have had half of April to add to it and of course attendance is down. Who wants to go to a game in cold rainy weather?  

[atomic]

2 minutes ago, 25 Nuggets said:

This is the heart of the issue right here - and it affects sports across the board.  NFL is losing interest, NBA/NHL have problems during the regular season, etc.

College revenue sports are not having as much of a problem because they have a student fanbase (and because they are running a vast employment racket)

This is also tied into (I think quixotic's) theory that the vanishing middle class drives people to find cheaper, easier means of entertainment.

People have cut cable.  Maybe the first year they still go to the games.  But a couple years in you start to lose interest in the game when you never see it. I have said many times we have reached peak payroll.   

[Can_of_corn]

1 minute ago, atomic said:

People have cut cable.  Maybe the first year they still go to the games.  But a couple years in you start to lose interest in the game when you never see it. I have said many times we have reached peak payroll.   

You did see the part where revenue has increased each year for the last decade right?  10B last year.

[25 Nuggets]

2 minutes ago, atomic said:

People have cut cable.  Maybe the first year they still go to the games.  But a couple years in you start to lose interest in the game when you never see it. I have said many times we have reached peak payroll.   

Must have it more accessible online.

I do the radio feed because it is not in my budget to do the video feed.  But I am old enough to remember going go games and that drives my waning fandom.

To wit, people are relocating more than ever in America.  A good number of us on the board are not within driving distance of a game anymore.  I'd have to drive about eight hours to get there, and that's speeding and without any delays.

[OsFanSinceThe80s]

1 minute ago, atomic said:

People have cut cable.  Maybe the first year they still go to the games.  But a couple years in you start to lose interest in the game when you never see it. I have said many times we have reached peak payroll.   

Offer in market streaming, cable needs MASN.  MASN doesn't need cable.

I'm moving soon and about 90% certain I'm cutting cable.  

[25 Nuggets]

2 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

You did see the part where revenue has increased each year for the last decade right?  10B last year.

It ain't coming from ticket sales though.

This may sound far fetched but I am dead serious about this -- extravagant ballparks and stadiums are obsolete.  That ridiculous thing they're building in LA?  It's going to be a business park that happens to have a stadium in it.  You can build a 5,000 seat stadium and with proper TV and streaming rights do just fine.  And you'd save a crap ton of money on building costs.  Except of course, many owners want us to pay for it in tax dollars.  (this is thankfully not the case for the LA stadium)

[Can_of_corn]

Just now, 25 Nuggets said:

It ain't coming from ticket sales though.

This may sound far fetched but I am dead serious about this -- extravagant ballparks and stadiums are obsolete.  That ridiculous thing they're building in LA?  It's going to be a business park that happens to have a stadium in it.  You can build a 5,000 seat stadium and with proper TV and streaming rights do just fine.  And you'd save a crap ton of money on building costs.  Except of course, many owners want us to pay for it in tax dollars.  (this is thankfully not the case for the LA stadium)

That was the point I was making, they don't really need folks attending games to make money anymore.

You can't simply say, attendance is down so payroll will be lower.

[AnythingO's]

19 minutes ago, esmd said:

Only thing I can think of was Memorial Stadium was a pain to get to.  No convenient highway access, they "stadium" parked you so you were stuck there and couldn't leave early if you chose to, etc.  

All you had to do was park in the lower lot behind the High School across the street, take the back roads South and end in Fells Point, enter The Horse You Came In On and ease you pain and have free popcorn. lol 

[Can_of_corn]

It will be pretty embarrassing if the O's attendance drops even with them adding the free tickets for kids feature.

But I'm OK with the front office and ownership being embarrassed.

[25 Nuggets]

1 minute ago, Can_of_corn said:

That was the point I was making, they don't really need folks attending games to make money anymore.

You can't simply say, attendance is down so payroll will be lower.

Yeah - the elephant in the room is that we no longer live in a neighborhood based society.  People in general don't even know who lives two houses down the street. 

A typical day for a young adult is to wake up in a house shared by a couple of his or her acquaintances, go to work, come home, chat with his friends online, watch some viral videos, play some XBOX online or something, and procrastinate doing dishes or laundry until bedtime.

[Can_of_corn]

1 minute ago, 25 Nuggets said:

Yeah - the elephant in the room is that we no longer live in a neighborhood based society.  People in general don't even know who lives two houses down the street. 

A typical day for a young adult is to wake up in a house shared by a couple of his or her acquaintances, go to work, come home, chat with his friends online, watch some viral videos, play some XBOX online or something, and procrastinate doing dishes or laundry until bedtime.

Does this count as chatting with friends online?

Cause I don't like all of you.

[theocean]

There's plenty of factors - but I think when it comes down to it, income inequality is starting to catch up. Average people are making less and less in comparison to the cost of living each year - and going to a baseball game or having a cable package with the sports channel is starting to seem as an unnecessary luxury. If you aren't going to games and can't watch the games at home - you eventually tune out and lose interest in the sport.

Other industries are having the same problems. Movie theaters are having trouble bringing people in like they used to. The NFL has had its issues - I mean, the Ravens could hardly fill their stadium for what was basically a playoff game last year in weather that was similar to this April.

People would just rather stay at home and watch Netflix or another affordable entertainment option.

I know people always say that it's affordable to go to a game - tickets can be $10-15 and you can bring in food. I personally agree with that - because when I go to a game I'm living an dying on every pitch. Visiting Camden Yards is like church for me.

But, for a regular person who just wants to go to a baseball game on a nice summer day - I think part of the experience for them is the cool food, cold treats, and beer. Its ends up being stupid expensive - so they end up going to a craft brewery or something cheaper instead that is just as fun for them.