Your opinion on baseball interest

The media keeps telling us that baseball interest is dwindling, yet the interest levels appears to be stronger than ever. ML has it's strongest attendance each year, the interest in LL baseball has never been stronger, there continues to be more teams playing baseball at all levels, the interest in the College WS has never been stronger. Parents are much more involved than ever before...I just don't get it. Where is the interest dwindling? or is it the soccer supporters purporting this lack of interest?

 

Every youth baseball organization except Cal Ripken has declined for the last few years. I think that contributes to the comments. PONY is down, Dixie, Babe Ruth, even LL. Nationwide enrollment is down, whereas kickball is exploding. Lacrosse is also growing rapidly, espcially in the south. Baseball fights a little of what golf used to and still does to a point. Gaining a reputation as an eliteist sport. Don't shoot the messenger.

 

No..I hear ya. But wouldn't it be obvious that Dixie, Pony and Babe Ruth would be down with the advent of AAU, travel ball and showcase. There are so many more opportunites to play baseball than ever before. More teams=more players.

and whether it is true or not, baseball is gaining that reputation (elitist).

"Kickball" has some merit, but has their own battles to fight.
Lacrosse- most can't even spell it, much less know the rules

 

All good points. I am aware of the travel ball since we have been a part of it for years however a recent estimate/guesstimate said baseball is down with youth even with travel ball. travel ball makes up less than 2% of the market. In addition, many kids that play travel ball actually play both; rec ball and travel ball.

Travel ball has evolved through the parents in a search for the best of everything for their child. The evolvement of travel ball fits right in with the rest of how kids are being parented. Not a bad thing by the way. Just fits with how all parents want the latest and greatest and always look for an edge. I'm no different and advocate that same approach myself.

 

I started back up a youth league several years ago that had merged with a YMCA that did not work out. We successfully re-started the league. I did this for 6 years. We offered baseball, softball, basketball, soccer, cheerleading, golf. The baseball numbers are dropping across the country. However softball is showing some growth nationally. There is growth in other girls activities. Girls are getting more active. Dance is growing, softball, volleyball is taking off.

There are many reasons. Kids have more choices with other sports. Video games don't help. More of kids play is organized vs. neighborhood kids getting together and playing a pick up game of baseball of some kind. If it's not a planned activity for kids they don't get out and play. Look at the wellness and health reports for kids. More and more kids are out of shape (I can't talk). Baseball is getting an eliteist stereotype, deserved or not. There are other factors but that's just to name a few.

 

BASEBALL IS HARD!

Folks,

Baseball is hard and it's competitive. It takes an aggressive and athletic approach to succeed. The ball hurts when it hits you. It's scary when it's pitched fast! Because it is an "individual team sport" there are many times when you have to deliver all by yourself. The failure is more than many parents can handle.

The alternative sports you've mentioned are "picked up" by those that don't want to pay the dues to learn our great game. They are perfectly content to participate in rec league soccer. Nothing wrong with that.

 

AGUYUKNOW just nailed it. Most parents don't want their kid to experience failure or discomfort of any kind. No sport is harder to master than baseball or demands more individual attention in the course of team play. Therefor the flight to sports they can "disappear" in. But I disagree with one thing said in this thread. I for one think it is a very bad thing to protect kids from every possible pressure.

 

All good points. Baseball is a learned sport. Takes lots of reps. And parents do hate the failure as well as kids. Sometimes the parents attitudes refect on the kids.

It is a beautiful game when played properly and if you know what to look for and can appreciate the strategy and teamwork. Not everyone appreciates the small points. Also, not every players wants to do the small things or sees how it is important.

At 12U nobody appreciates the rightfielder backing up first, or the catcher backing up first on a play, or even a sac bunt. All the parent wants to know is why is my kid in RF and not the infield. As you enter HS parents/kids/fans appreciate those back-ups and movement without the ball.

 

"Baseball is too slow, not exciting and it takes too much time to be good." How many times have high school coaches heard that from athletes at their school? That is the attitude and that is the root of the problem. Football and basketball are the "cool" sports right now.

As for the baseball's perception as an elitist sport... that is probably more prevelant on the youth levels (e.g. travel and showcase teams) than on the college or professional levels because of the expense of playing on those teams.

MLB is in the process of addressing the fact that less than 10% of its players are black. They are pumping hundreds of millions of dollars into this program and there are high schools right here in NC who have received grants for the express purpose of reaching kids where football and basketball are their only options.

I do agree with Braves, of course, that the reason so many little leagues are down is because there are sooo many other baseball alternatives. And it is becoming increasingly uncommon for players to play both little league and competitive travel ball. Major and Minor League attendance are both booming and that will eventually lead to more participation. (NFL and NBA have also set attendance records each of the last few years) It's a cycle like everything else but baseball people are going to have to do a better job of reaching more kids because attendance isn't necessarily reflective of participation.

Sidenote: (Average regular season game attendance) (total attendance)
NFL 67,000 (240 total games) 17,350,000
MLB 31,000 (2430 total games) 75,000,000**
NBA 17,500 (1240 total games) 21,500,000
**Minor League Baseball total attendance= 41,000,000

 

Baseball numbers

I think one thing we are overlooking is the time and commitment that you have to put in baseball. A lot of the best players play year round, to achieve the desired results. In that baseball is losing numbers, guys be real how many kids especially on the youth level have this commitment. Not only the kids but the parents also, I believe time and commitment is a factor that gets overlooked. How many people do you see lining up to Coach now compared to 10 to 15 years ago. It is easier to get some one to Coach on the football level and basketball level than on the baseball level. Baseball is the greatest game that we have been blessed with, it just takes more understanding and commitment and desire over a longer period. If you score a touchdown as a player than that's a highlight, if you go 3 for 4 in baseball its more a part of the total picture than a highlight.

As for the elitist title for baseball, I agree that it is more prevalent on the youth side. God bless those kids and parents that have the means financially and the desire to better themselves. Until we reach out in our communities and build enthusiasm for the sport we will continue to lose numbers to other sports.