Baseball's error
Once again, MLB ignores its best fans.
Baseball's error
Rich Hofmann, Daily News Sports Columnist
This is not a rant about the Phillies and Rockies getting screwed by MLB because its first two playoff games are in the afternoon. Hopefully, it's a little more subtle than that. This isn't about big-city bias. It is about baseball's misguided view of itself.
The fact is, nobody in the country watches Division Series baseball games during the afternoon outside of the fans of the teams involved. But baseball views itself as The National Pastime, and it sees that all NFL and NBA playoff games are televised live nationally, and it won't start the season a couple of days earlier or extend it a couple of days later, so we are left with rabid fans of participating teams unable to watch the games.
It's absurd. It is a schedule designed for sportswriters and shut-ins.
In 2007, the Phillies and Rockies got the same raw deal with two days games in Philadelphia to open their series. The first one drew 3.17 million viewers nationwide, the second 3.3 million viewers. I'm not a math major but if my ciphering is even close, somewhere between one-third and one-half of the people who watched those games were from Philadelphia and Colorado. Most everyone else who watched accidentally bumped into the game while looking for a rerun of "Cash Cab."
None of the other sports inconvenience its fans like this. There is no reason why baseball couldn't do regional telecasts on weekdays in the first round of the playoffs. The standard would be simple. There would be two time slots, 6 pm and 9 pm in the East. The slot that made the most sense for the home team would be the place the game would fall.
I guarantee you that the ratings would be higher. I guarantee you that the fans of the teams involved -- the people who really care; in many cases, the only people who care -- would be thrilled.
Who would be mad? The infinitesimal number of Americans without an allegiance to a team who like to watch games in the afternoon.
Why cater to them?
agreed 100%.
Amen Rich. Think about it. Its on 2:37 here, and 12:37 in Colorado. That means the fans of both teams involved who work a real job cant watch it. Nonsense.— CharlestheHammer- I agree CharlestheHammer, the times are awful. I am jealous of those people with fake jobs are so lucky they get to watch it. Nonsense. If it means that much to you, take the day off and go to the game/watch it at home.— Vick In A Box
- This is absolute BS. I work till 5 then have an hour commute. So I have tickets to game 5 if it happens does that mean I have to take off from work. I thought the NFL was the No Fun League!— cuso20
I don't know. There's something to be said for honoring tradition and playing a few post-season games in the afternoon chill. Plus, MLB likes it because people sign up for the MLB Internet subscriptions and watch the telecasts from work on their computers. It's a nice diversion from the daily grind!!— thebigrocketboy- At least in Colorado, they can catch the beginning of the game over lunch.
- Where is that 'time honored tradition' when the Championship Series and World Series games roll around and the Saturday/Sunday games still start at 8:30pm?
Stop being naive Rich and call it like it is.....the schedule is geared towards the Yankees and their fans who believe they're greater than the game, and the frontrunning Red Sox banwagon jumpers (Red Sox "nation" founded October 2004)- 100% agree, Rich. And, even though you said that "this is not a rant about the Phillies and Rockies getting screwed by MLB because its first two playoff games are in the afternoon," it should be. Yes, I understand the reasoning behind giving NYY and BOS and LAD and LAA prime-time slots b/c of their "markets," but we are the defending champs and should get some defference in the decision making. Although, I would imagine that had the Rockies overtaken the LAD and won the NL West and we were playing the LAD in the NLDS, we'd have the 6 PM or 9 PM slot and the Cards/Rockies would be the early game. Either way, we were screwed and will just hav to take care of the Rockies while the sun is still up...and many of us are working and unable to watch. Thanks, MLB.— alaver
- The playoff schedule has been available since April 2009 so maybe people should plan ahead (I requested this Wed and Thursday afternoons off back in May), stop whining or call out sick! In your "real job" do they not have vacation time? I think it is great that the games are on during the day b/c I get to watch the games with my 13 year old son who missed many innings last year. I am diehard Phillies fan and also a diehard baseball fan and I also enjoy watching as many other games as possible.— albanykey
- MLB internet services would not apply because they are subject to the same black out rules as TV. Therefore, no one in Philly can use that service to watch the game at their desk. MLB screwed this city again. Defending champs should get more respect than a 2:37 start time.— jmarcakis
- Aren't the shadows tough at CBP in the 4:00 to 5:00 range? Could be interesting.— TheDude
- Just get through this first round. Then we can beat everyone in prime time.— MTust24
- works differently for all. I work garveyard shift, so it's great. won't be that good during those late night games though.— ZCommish
- right on the money Rich. The system is just stupid, it punishes the fans, and I can't believe ratings are helped at all.— telly
