Check out Frank Deford's thoughts on the general structure of baseball's schedule which was aired on NPR a few weeks ago.
http://www.npr.org/2011/08/31/140034507/too-many-days-hath-september-and-baseball
Even though I'm old-fashioned, and usually abhor change, I think I like many of these ideas.
Good ideas but I bet baseball will never shorten the season: too much lost revenue. I also wish they'd start playoff and WS games earlier.
ReplyDeleteP.S. Deford looks like Grandpa Munster in that photo.
ReplyDeleteDue to the big bucks from TV, they will never start the games earlier. Glad thaT Tom and I agree that Deford does look like Grandpa Munster.
ReplyDeleteAlso glad to have some activity on these pages!
Another way to improve the schedule would be to have the first couple of regular season series in southern or indoor climes, like LA Dallas, Houston, etc. It wouldn't be fair to backload the end of the season like that, since thos are critical games, but no harm for the Tigers, Indians, Yankees to play the first 6 or 9 games on the road.
ReplyDeleteI've sat through enough snow flurries in old Tiger Stadium to know: I don't want to come back til late April. Baseball didn't make any money off me until May.
As far as making money, they should study supply and demand: if there are fewer games you might sell more tickets, and cost for things like non-player payroll (the guy who cleans the johns, takes out the trash) goes down!