The Major League Baseball season begins Sunday night, and once Monday comes around there will be baseball just about every day for the next seven months. Some could care less, some not at all, but for me opening day is one of the best days of the calendar year. Spring is finally arriving, pools are opening and summer is just around the corner.
But baseball is going through a change in command this season, welcoming in a new commissioner for the first time in over twenty years. Rob Manfred replaced Bud Selig at the end of last season and he has some ideas that will hopefully speed up the game so they do not last over 3 hours, and make it more fun of an atmosphere in the ballpark. They’re challenging issues that present themselves for the future of baseball, but what if it isn’t really broke? Yes, the demographic is much different then any other professional sports and the engagement they get from 18-30 year olds is not ideal. But owners are obviously still making money if they are offering 220 million dollar contracts almost every offseason for the past four years. That number is going to skyrocket in the coming years by the way, because players like Bryce Harper, Mike Trout, Kris Bryant, and many other young superstars are going to get off their rookie contracts and want to get paid and they know they can get paid in baseball. So, again maybe baseball thinks they have a problem with their demographic, but if 34 years old, second tier catchers can sign contracts up to 80 million dollars then baseball is doing just fine. Ask the owners about their television deals.
Capitol Street Chronicles 