Something that bothers me as a high school baseball fan

[bigrobmjca3]

As a die hard baseball fan, there is something that has bothered me for years. Why does High School football get 20 minutes dedicaded to it on the local news on Friday nights and not even a mention of the only sport that matters. Since I'm posting in the hs baseball fourm, I'm guessing that you too are a hs baseball fan. Why is it not getting as much attention as football in America anymore?

[davidlimbaugh]

As a die hard baseball fan, there is something that has bothered me for years. Why does High School football get 20 minutes dedicaded to it on the local news on Friday nights and not even a mention of the only sport that matters. Since I'm posting in the hs baseball fourm, I'm guessing that you too are a hs baseball fan. Why is it not getting as much attention as football in America anymore?

 

Football is the revenue sport. Baseball, softball, soccer, volleyball and basketball, among other sports, will never get the treatment that high school football does. Next spring count the heads at your high school baseball game. Combine low numbers and the different days of games instead of the one Friday a week and you have your answer....

[haderade]

As a die hard baseball fan, there is something that has bothered me for years. Why does High School football get 20 minutes dedicaded to it on the local news on Friday nights and not even a mention of the only sport that matters. Since I'm posting in the hs baseball fourm, I'm guessing that you too are a hs baseball fan. Why is it not getting as much attention as football in America anymore?

$$... it's what drives the bus.

[ksgovols]

The best way to promote high school baseball is to provide your own articles and photos to the local paper and promote inside the school and community. I mean I'm attracting to baseball field lights like a moth, but it's not going to outdraw football on it's best night. It never has. Baseball hasn't been America's sport since around Super Bowl I in my opinion. You have to love the strategy of a 9 inning pitching duel that winds up 1-0 and small ball and the nuances of the game. The average person doesn't get it and they don't care a whole lot about the final score being on their local television station...............or believe me, it'd be in there.

[haderade]

The best way to promote high school baseball is to provide your own articles and photos to the local paper and promote inside the school and community. I mean I'm attracting to baseball field lights like a moth, but it's not going to outdraw football on it's best night. It never has. Baseball hasn't been America's sport since around Super Bowl I in my opinion. You have to love the strategy of a 9 inning pitching duel that winds up 1-0 and small ball and the nuances of the game. The average person doesn't get it and they don't care a whole lot about the final score being on their local television station...............or believe me, it'd be in there.

[haderade]

The best way to promote high school baseball is to provide your own articles and photos to the local paper and promote inside the school and community. I mean I'm attracting to baseball field lights like a moth, but it's not going to outdraw football on it's best night. It never has. Baseball hasn't been America's sport since around Super Bowl I in my opinion. You have to love the strategy of a 9 inning pitching duel that winds up 1-0 and small ball and the nuances of the game. The average person doesn't get it and they don't care a whole lot about the final score being on their local television station...............or believe me, it'd be in there.

10-4, well said. It's all about the $$. If a program can break even on their gates, they're on the way to improving facilities and attracting better athletes.

[shakinthefat]

It's just like NFL vs MLB. Have the chose and most would watch NFL game.

[Shortstop15]

There has been an obvious downward slide in overall fan support of baseball in general as the past few generations have grown up. No one I know is a bigger fan of the game than me and its been a tough pill to swallow. However, the game is alive and well within the youth leagues and travel ball. Its still the BEST game to play, its just become NOT the best to watch in most peoples opinion. You have to really understand the "little things" about the game to have a real appreciation. Most don't have that deep knowledge of the game and find it boring. Its still America's Game I say though just because of the history. Football will never have the legends that can stand up to the names like Ruth, Mays, Mantle and Aaron. Its alive and well folks but the season tends to be quite a long one that loses its mystique in the day in day out routine until the playoffs.....I mean an NFL team has less than 20 games in one season while MLB teams have at least 162. Football fans are hungry by Sunday while baseball fans are watching highlights on Sportscenter most of the time. Just my persspective of it....opinion of course.

[tradertwo]

There has been an obvious downward slide in overall fan support of baseball in general as the past few generations have grown up. No one I know is a bigger fan of the game than me and its been a tough pill to swallow. However, the game is alive and well within the youth leagues and travel ball. Its still the BEST game to play, its just become NOT the best to watch in most peoples opinion. You have to really understand the "little things" about the game to have a real appreciation. Most don't have that deep knowledge of the game and find it boring. Its still America's Game I say though just because of the history. Football will never have the legends that can stand up to the names like Ruth, Mays, Mantle and Aaron. Its alive and well folks but the season tends to be quite a long one that loses its mystique in the day in day out routine until the playoffs.....I mean an NFL team has less than 20 games in one season while MLB teams have at least 162. Football fans are hungry by Sunday while baseball fans are watching highlights on Sportscenter most of the time. Just my persspective of it....opinion of course.

I've given a lot of thought to this over the last few years and have come up with a few obvious,and some not so obvious reasons.One is the helmet.It obscures the "identity" of the player,thus the casual fan roots for the team not the individual,and in the current state of free agency...You made the second point without realizing it.Look back at the legendary names called in your post,late 20's to the early 70's,baseballs heyday is well past with McGuire,Bonds,Clemons,A-Rod,and even Sosas' names sullied by controversies,only Cal Ripken has demonstrated both character and achievement in the past decade or two.Money is also a culprit.No salary cap,no true system of revenue sharing,it drives the perception that the Yanks and Phils "buy" other teams chances out with deep pockets...not very appealing to small-market fans(why root for the Royals,all the best players will be in pinstripes next year?).The game itself is still wonderful,so many little nuances that make differences in the outcome,but it's still a slow game actionwise and to fully understand the game you'd have to watch for a while to catch on.I realize that the "pro" games are what's outlined here but,that is where most fans are acclimated to their game of choice,then translate that to the high school level.Pro sports should dominate college in ratings,better players,more assocation with the general population(more people live in NYC than attend Kansas,but check the nielson ratings between a Knicks-Nets game VS.Jayhawks-Tar Heels game.The difference?Money,free agency,team spirit VS. player recognition.I have no idea how much(if any)that any of these ideas really affect the waning intrest of the greatest thinking-mans game ever invented,maybe a little of everything, just my thoughts on a very complex question.