Attendance 2019

[Ohfan67]

1 hour ago, DrungoHazewood said:

Baseball didn't have as much competition many years ago.  If average salaries fell by half or 2/3rds some of the talent base goes elsewhere, to basketball or football or (especially) soccer.  There will always be baseball, but how good will it be?

Basketball and football have already removed a lot of talent from the pool. Would Trout be a football player if his salary was "only" 17 million a year (and his signing bonus was 10 million instead of 20)? These things tend to evolve in a very hard to predict manner. For example, as entertainment time and money investments are diluted by the public, the ability to draw X number of people either via a screen or in person can actually be worth more even though you are talking about smaller numbers than say in the 1990s. Plus there's some wacky technology ahead. For example, I think at some point for a premium price you will be able to virtually be in a live game. That may happen in a premium site within the stadium at first, but could be replicated in some future version of a sports bar/virtual reality venue all around the country/world. Heck, MLB highlights on twitter and other platforms are probably worth a ton of money and may become even more valuable in the future. Younger generations may not want to sit through a traditional baseball game, but there are ways to engage them for shorter periods of time and potentially in more immersive experiences. I'm sure we could go back and find doom and gloom news articles in the 70s or 80s about the future of baseball. Baseball has not only survived but become financially stronger from the time before commercial radio, through the rise of television, through the rise of professional and collegiate football and basketball, and now to information age. If we could invest in MLB stock, then I'm confident it would be a good investment. 

[DrungoHazewood]

1 hour ago, Ohfan67 said:

Basketball and football have already removed a lot of talent from the pool. Would Trout be a football player if his salary was "only" 17 million a year (and his signing bonus was 10 million instead of 20)? These things tend to evolve in a very hard to predict manner. For example, as entertainment time and money investments are diluted by the public, the ability to draw X number of people either via a screen or in person can actually be worth more even though you are talking about smaller numbers than say in the 1990s. Plus there's some wacky technology ahead. For example, I think at some point for a premium price you will be able to virtually be in a live game. That may happen in a premium site within the stadium at first, but could be replicated in some future version of a sports bar/virtual reality venue all around the country/world. Heck, MLB highlights on twitter and other platforms are probably worth a ton of money and may become even more valuable in the future. Younger generations may not want to sit through a traditional baseball game, but there are ways to engage them for shorter periods of time and potentially in more immersive experiences. I'm sure we could go back and find doom and gloom news articles in the 70s or 80s about the future of baseball. Baseball has not only survived but become financially stronger from the time before commercial radio, through the rise of television, through the rise of professional and collegiate football and basketball, and now to information age. If we could invest in MLB stock, then I'm confident it would be a good investment. 

- Trout would certainly play for $17M a year.  But would Mike Yaz spend nine years in the minors if the salary he was chasing for his first (and maybe only three years in the majors) $250k?  And if he could make that much in another sport? 

- Baseball lost a lot of relative popularity in the 60s-80s, but made up for it with new revenues from cable and other TV deals.  Perhaps they could make up for loss of fans through online revenues.  But I kind of doubt that's going to be as big as $100s of millions in cable deals supported by mandatory fees from non-fans.

We'll see what happens, but I think it's clear baseball is thinking about the graying of its shrinking fanbase with the talk of rules changes and experiments in the minors.  Baseball has a huge advantage over some other sports, in that its players usually have all their faculties and can walk at 70.  But people have to want to play and watch something engaging and fun.

[Going Underground]

Orioles will need to draw about 72,497 in their last six games to get to 1.3m.Figure about 27,000 for the three Blue Jay games.Should be perhaps a little under 1 3 or right at it tops. 

[atomic]

On 9/11/2019 at 2:22 PM, DrungoHazewood said:

Baseball didn't have as much competition many years ago.  If average salaries fell by half or 2/3rds some of the talent base goes elsewhere, to basketball or football or (especially) soccer.  There will always be baseball, but how good will it be?

I dont think that is an issue. We have Dominican, Venezulan and Japanesse players and the population is growing.  They wont ever lack players. Not too many MLB players would make in the NBA or in Soccer.

[weams]

On 9/10/2019 at 7:47 PM, Moose Milligan said:

Oh man thats bad.

[Going Underground]

9,066 tonight 1.3 million will be close 

[esmd]

11 hours ago, Going Underground said:

9,066 tonight 1.3 million will be close 

My Dad and I were there last night with probably approximately 3000 other brave souls.  9066 might've paid, but no way more than 1/3 of them were actually there in the seats.  We left after the bottom of the 7th since I had a long drive home and needed to make a semi-emergency stop at the store for my wife, so I'm just pretending that the game ended right when we left.

[Going Underground]

Probably need about 44,000 for the last three games to get to 1.3 million. See from 42,000 to 45,000 or so.

[atomic]

9 minutes ago, Going Underground said:

Probably need about 44,000 for the last three games to get to 1.3 million. See from 42,000 to 45,000 or so.

I am guessing less than a million next year if they don’t improve the team.  

[fansince1988]

How many fans will show up the final home game of the season? I'm guessing 8,942. Ravens Chiefs game, two of the most exciting teams in the NFL are playing, and it's going to be hot in Baltimore. I'll be there with my Dad and brother rooting on the O's for my only Camden Yards appearance this season (and checking my phone every five minutes rooting for the Ravens).

[TonySoprano]

Great catch in front of two completely empty sections.

 

[Can_of_corn]

Just now, TonySoprano said:

Great catch in front of two completely empty sections.

 

No one to be upset about the lack of a souvenir.

[Frobby]

11 hours ago, Going Underground said:

Probably need about 44,000 for the last three games to get to 1.3 million. See from 42,000 to 45,000 or so.

I predict they make it.   Nice weather, give aways, last weekend series of the year.   

[jtschrei]

Love Ben McDonald as the color guy! Love! 

[Going Underground]

7 hours ago, Frobby said:

I predict they make it.   Nice weather, give aways, last weekend series of the year.   

44,003 for the last three games for 1.3 million.Paid attendance should be close.Really nothing to be excited about but understandable. The last two years the Orioles have lost more games at home then any time ever in a 162 game season.Not sure if it is ever..Mets and Tigers both lost 107 at home consecutively . Tough to watch such bad home team baseball. Still would be the worst average hone attendance since 1978 and of course worst ever at Camden Yards.