The popularity of baseball

[Dave Gray]

This was started in another thread, but it piqued my interest I started some research:

https://news.gallup.com/poll/4735/sports.aspx

This shows a graph of popularity over time, judging popularity by what people say their favorite sport is.

I'm not sure that would be my metric.  I suppose that it's easier to track this way, but I would like a stat for people that consider themselves to pay a moderate amount of attention to any particular sport.  Also, I found it strange that MMA isn't specifically listed (maybe it's under "other", but I would think that it has specific support over something like Volleyball.

Long story short: NFL reigns over all.   Basketball is 2nd, but MLB is basically tied with them.  MLB was big in the 40s but swapped with the NFL gradually over time and everything pretty much leveled out, with some small fluctuations.

Anecdotally, I notice people in my circles seem more interested in pro soccer than ever before.  It's still not a massive thing, but I probably see more MLS stuff than hockey stuff on Facebook and stuff like that, which is surprising.

[Phishfan]

Messi is there, you shouldn't be surprised to see a spike at all. It will level out when that ends.

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

The length of a game is a factor.  If I start watching a soccer game at 1 I know I will be done by 3.

Baseball is so slow that is rarely gets my undivided attention.  Listen to it on the radio while doing something else.  Or on TV in the background. Even at a game I don't just watch the game.

[Spider-Dan]

I've attended two MLB games in person (both on the clock at work) and fell asleep at both.  And that's not really an insult: they were gorgeous days in the Bay Area, 65 degrees with the sun shining on me and a nice breeze.  If you live close to an MLB stadium, grabbing some cheap bleacher seats with the crew and hanging out while a game is happening nearby would be a fun day.

But as far as directly watching the game of baseball, it's brutal.  It's like watching golf.  And I don't mean televised golf, which is basically like NFL Red Zone where they jump around to whoever is on the green or has a tough shot.  It's like actually watching golf.

However, I realize that different people like different things.  And that's fine!  I also find soccer unwatchable, but the majority of humans disagree.  My only point about the popularity of baseball is that it used to absolutely dominate the American sports landscape, and now I don't see a path for baseball to grow internationally.  The countries that still play baseball now are all (former?) American client-states from the mid-20th century, and their players can only prop up baseball here for so long before those countries are also captured by sports with more international appeal.

There is, of course, an elephant in the room: given the numbers of Latin American players currently sustaining MLB, in a future where our country turns decisively against immigration (and particularly against immigrants from Latin America), baseball is absolutely fucking doomed.

[CF DolFan]

I still like baseball and definitely enjoy going to games but baseball was better when it was regularly on TV. No one is chasing it down any longer. There are Braves and Cubs fan all across the USA because every day they were on TBS or WGN.

[Phishfan]

I watched a number of Braves games and it had the opposite effect. If I had to claim a team Go Mets

[Sunstroke]

Baseball and football are both 365 days a year sports for me. I don't do basketball, I don't do hockey (or golf, or soccer, etc...)...but baseball/football is always in season for me, even in the offseason. I am a lifelong Padres fan, and I've been a season ticket holder (or shared season tix holder) for the Diamondbacks and the Mariners...and the Everett AquaSox and Portland Sea Dogs in the minors.

I loves me some baseball...

[Sibster]

I love me some Rays baseball, but I don't expect much out of them this year.   The Trop was destroyed by Hurricane Milton and they have been reduced to playing in the Yankees Single A team ballpark in Tampa.   That stadium only holds 12.5k fans and they have more season ticket holders than that.   Not to mention that a deal to rebuild The Trop fell through and a deal for a new stadium in St. Pete fell through.   

The future for them is bleak at best.

[Dave Gray]

I watched a number of Braves games and it had the opposite effect.

I agree.  I grew a strong distaste for teams that were on markets that weren't our area, specifically the Braves and Notre Dame.

[Spider-Dan]

I think most normie spectators end up being a fan of the team they watch all the time.  Usually this ends up being your local market team, but in areas where there is no local team, or where a pseudo-"national market" team like the Braves, Cubs, or Notre Dame is pushed on you, the casual watcher ends up being a fan of that team.

[Dave Gray]

Messi is there, you shouldn't be surprised to see a spike at all. It will level out when that ends.

I'm sure this is true, but I don't think it's the reason behind the personal stuff I've seen.  For me, it's not like non soccer fans I knew became soccer fans -- I just join a club that caused me to have social media access to a lot more people who were younger and more diverse (Hispanic, mostly) than the people I hung out with.  Also, more to the South of the State near Miami and Hialeah and stuff.  I think that there's just more of a pulse on soccer with those people.  The people I grew up around still don't give a shit about soccer.

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

Soccer has a lot going for it that other sports don't.   

Equipment - ball.  That's it.

Space - anywhere - in a gym, parking lot, field, anywhere.

skills- almost anybody has the skills to play soccer.  Not everyone can play it well, but almost everyone can kick a ball.  The skills entry for being able to catch a ball or hit a ball with a bat, racket or stick is much higher.

At many levels works okay as a coed sport.

ease of learning rules - you can teach someone the basics in a couple of minutes if you skip offside. 

As youth soccer has grown interest in watching it has as well.   As many people like to watch the sports they played as a kid.

[Dave Gray]

I have never watched a game of MLS in my life, but I do get up for event-style soccer like USA matches in the World Cup or Olympics.    And a lot of it is what Hoodie said -- the game has a brisk pace and it's easy to understand.

[CF DolFan]

When the MLS started up in Orlando many people supported it. Over the years the fan fare has definitely died down quite a bit.  

Just saw an episode of Pawn Stars where a guy brought in all 4 championship rings, as well as the World Series ring for the Braves from the 90s. Crazy to me that they were only worth about 20K for all but I guess that's a sign of the times for baseball.  If I had an extra 20K I'd certainly buy them.

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

If I had the power to change the rules of baseball, I would make the penalty for hit by pitch:

Unintentional - player rounds the diamond (run not a hit, if bases loaded 4 runs).  Pitcher is ejected from game, obviously he is too tired to pitch safety.

intentional - loss of game, pitcher is suspended for one year, second offense permanent ban. 

At the pro or college level if you can't pitch without hitting the batter you shouldn't be pitching.  At lower levels I would have less repercussions for unintentional .