Monday, April 1, 2013

Major League Baseball is still America's pastime

By B. Crawford


With the announcement that Bud Selig will be retiring after the 2014 baseball season comes the concern of the future of the game. There is nothing to indicate that the popularity of the game is on a downward trend; in fact, popularity is at fantastic levels. Attendance is strengthening each year throughout the league, due in large part to the overall fan experience.

There does seem to be a regressing popularity at all levels among the youthful fans. This is concerning when contemplating where this game will be thirty years from now. It is not necessarily the fast paced action that you find in football or hockey, for example, but it is still an incredible game to watch. In our fast paced society, baseball is sometimes regarded as boring and slow. I disagree, but when put next to some other action sports I recognize the point. Unfortunately, those points are often made by those who have seldom taken the time to understand and admire the game.

Major League Baseball has taken a lot of accountability in elevating popularity among our youth. One of the sharpest declines has come in inner city youth leagues; a incredible push has been made to get those youth yet again participating in the game of baseball. The descent in black players in the game has been noticeable and pretty disturbing. It is refreshing to see that it is being addressed become it becomes a bigger issue.

There has been a huge upsurge in foreign players within Major League Baseball and the talent that comes from those areas has been magnificent. The Netherland and Dominican Republic have produced an astounding amount of talented players over the years. That pipeline doesn't seem to be receding, it only gets better.

Baseball fans, more than any other sport, cherish statistics and rely on them to determine the quality of a player. More than any other sport, the game of baseball is about tradition and the rich history that is tied to the game. Some good and some bad, that history is always revered and honored. All major sports have a Hall of Fame, but none are as admired as Major League Baseball's. Without fail, the arguments come about over who is worthy of entrance and who is not; every bit of every argument is centered around statistics and, unfortunately, whether or not that player may have tarnished the game by using some form of performance enhancing drug.

I think that Bud Selig has done a great job of endorsing the game to future generations. In turn, attendance at parks around the league is at an all time high. With the exception of the outdated blackout policies, Major League Baseball does a great job of getting fans access to their favorite teams. You can watch games on your phone, you can watch on your tablet or you can choose to watch it on your TV; either way, accessibility is always increasing and making it easier for fans to follow their favorite teams. In that regard, Major League Baseball and Bud Selig are doing a great job.




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