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Analytics and the decline of Baseball's popularity?

Discussion in 'Sports and News' started by qtlaw, Mar 12, 2019.

  1. bigpern23

    bigpern23 Well-Known Member

    We're discussing the popularity of the sport, so the postponements' effects on attendance can’t be discounted in the context of attendance as a metric of popularity.

    The Forbes article had different attendance figures, and showed total attendance in 2015 up slightly, as I said.

    2011 73,415,359 1.20%
    2012 74,859,268 1.97%
    2013 74,028,227 -1.11%
    2014 73,739,622 -0.39%
    2015 73,760,020 0.03%
    2016 73,159,044 -0.81%
    2017 72,670,423 -0.67%
    2018 69,625,244 -4.19%
     
  2. DanOregon

    DanOregon Well-Known Member

    Basketball has been about "entertaining" - closer to watching great athletes perform live than the final score since the Stern era. Baseball analytics I believe has had more to do with maximizing cap room than putting an entertaining product on the field. It used to be that analytics observed the game - now it has influenced it to the point of style of play. The game has gone from a test of a player's or team's abilities to a contest of how well they can maximize efficiency. I wouldn't even be surprised if brushback pitches and bench clearing brawls - best situations to throw one, or start one - are covered in analytics.
     
  3. Dog8Cats

    Dog8Cats Well-Known Member

    Good Lord, I sure hope they are.
     
  4. LanceyHoward

    LanceyHoward Well-Known Member

    Attendance was down a lot in April than not as much he rest of 2018. The number of postponements did affect attendance though I don't think it entirely accounted for a drop of three million fans.
    I wonder how much of the attendance drop is due to increased sales on the secondary market. Fans buy then off others not going to the games on the internet.
     
  5. micropolitan guy

    micropolitan guy Well-Known Member

    Between the majors, affiliated minors, independent leagues, colleges and the 30-plus college summer leagues, more people than ever are paying to watch baseball, just not always at the MLB level, probably due in some part to the cost of tickets and concessions. At one time MLB was an affordable option for a family. Not so much anymore, even though you still see more kids at MLB games than any other major sport.

    The sub-major levels have really cashed in on the affordable family option, games are full of young families.
     
  6. Guy_Incognito

    Guy_Incognito Well-Known Member

    Does anyone track with real numbers success rates for media - whether it's draft mockers, fantasy experts, general season previews?
     
  7. Cosmo

    Cosmo Well-Known Member

    I don't know if I agree with this. Yes, beer prices are more expensive at MLB games. Though they're not cheap in the minors, either. Aside from Happy Hour promotions, you can get a large craft beer at a AA Richmond Flying Squirrels game for $11, which is insane. You can bring your own food into major league stadiums, which mitigate the costs, and you can get a ticket to most major league games for a reasonable price. Compare that to hockey, where if you want a good seat at a middling regular season game, you're always paying north of $100. (Unless you're in Long Island, East Rutherford or Glendale, at least).
     
  8. micropolitan guy

    micropolitan guy Well-Known Member

    I thought I said baseball was still the cheaper option, just not as inexpensive as it once was. And many (like myself) are still paying to watch baseball, just not at the MLB level. Sorry if I wasn't clear enough.

    I do know I can buy four 32-game season tickets for my local college wood-bat league team for the cost of attending one weekend's worth of MLB games in Seattle (taking into account driving, two hotel nights and food). And the beer there is often available for $2 a can.
     
  9. Starman

    Starman Well-Known Member

    Minor league prices are rocketing up too. Tickets under $10 are rare and concessions are rising as well (not quite to MLB levels but pretty steep).

    Throw in parking and a trip to a minor league game is $25 a head. (With one dog and one small drink per person.)

    It's kind of curious to me. Our Class A team draws 2500 a game in a 7500-seat (publicly financed) stadium.

    Yet aside from a couple limited partial season package plans, they pretty much refuse to drop any tickets below $9.

    Rope off a couple thousand of those empty seats, sell 'em at $2, then start selling your $5 hot dogs and $8
    beers. Empty seats don't buy hot dogs.
     
    Last edited: Mar 13, 2019
  10. CD Boogie

    CD Boogie Well-Known Member

    Which is why I always bring a plastic flask stashed next to my junk when attending sporting events or concerts. One large soda as a mixer and you're good to go.
     
    Dog8Cats likes this.
  11. micropolitan guy

    micropolitan guy Well-Known Member

    Sounds like a UR football game at City Stadium!
     
  12. CD Boogie

    CD Boogie Well-Known Member

    Hah. Guy who was in my fraternity there set the NCAA record for most field goals missed in a row. Good times. I hope it's since been eclipsed.

    BTW, I got arrested for underage drinking at a tailgate there in like 1992. That was a pain in the ass to deal with.
     
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