Used to be, time of game didn't bother me.

[Mike Sixel]

 

Here are the solutions, IM not-so-H O:
1. One minute between half innings. The players hustle in, hustle out. Fielders need to be ready to take their positions. Pitcher gets 15 seconds to get to the mound then another 45 seconds to get his 8 warm-ups in then play ball. That's how it was up until about the 1970's. Double the price of a 30-second advertising spot and your revenue would stay the same. Advertisers will be willing to pay. The same for pitching changes. Get the reliever to the mound as quickly as possible using a golf cart or something. He has 45 seconds to get his 8 warmups in.
2. Pitch clock and batter clock, but only when the bases are empty.
3a. Larger strike zone.
3b. Lower pitcher's mound. Pitchers will be able to throw strikes more easily and batters will be less likely to try to work the count because there will be more strikes. The lower mound will reduce K's because the balls will be easier to hit, however this will be offset by the larger zone resulting in fewer strikes being hit well. Fewer deep counts, more balls in play, fewer K's, fewer BB's, fewer HR's.
With these changes it will not be necessary to ruin the game by limiting pitcher changes or trips to the mound.

 

why are advertisers willing to spend twice as much? I'm confused by that assertion. Because their product will be in front of me half the times?

 

pitch clock

no automatic strike on 3-0 counts

 

[spinowner]

 

why are advertisers willing to spend twice as much? I'm confused by that assertion. Because their product will be in front of me half the times?

 

pitch clock

no automatic strike on 3-0 counts

Because the owners will say my way or the highway. If they want their ads on TV they pay the going rate.

[sftwinsfan]

I like the idea of limiting catcher's visits to the mound.  Should be the equivalent of a coach's visit.  Pitch clock would work good as well, some pitchers, especially some of the relievers just take forever between pitches.  Also look at fouls, so many pitches fouled off, seems to take a couple minutes after a ball is fouled off (even if so far out of play a defender didn't even move) before the next pitch is thrown.  Fouled back into the stands, get him a new ball and get back on the mound.  You don't get to rub it down or whatever.  Batters also don't get to adjust their batting gloves, etc between pitches.  I like the idea of making relief pitchers get their throws in quickly as well.  Just cut down on the unnecessary delays.  

[drjim]

Because the owners will say my way or the highway. If they want their ads on TV they pay the going rate.

Are you implying that mlb is leaving money on the table with current rates? Or that the supply/demand curve is such that halving the supply will double the price?

[spinowner]

 

Are you implying that mlb is leaving money on the table with current rates? Or that the supply/demand curve is such that halving the supply will double the price?

Maybe the former, but more the latter. I'm not a psychologist, but I'm more likely to remember which two commercials I see in a 60-second break than I am to remember which four commercials I see in a two-minute break. And I'm more likely to leave the room if I know the break is longer. I think the time is worth more if the breaks are shorter.

[spinowner]

I don't like the idea of limiting catcher's visits. I want the players to be able to strategize.

[Mike Sixel]

 

Maybe the former, but more the latter. I'm not a psychologist, but I'm more likely to remember which two commercials I see in a 60-second break than I am to remember which four commercials I see in a two-minute break. And I'm more likely to leave the room if I know the break is longer. I think the time is worth more if the breaks are shorter.

 

then why don't tv stations change their model for how commercials are done? I'd bet they spend a lot of money on researching how to do this already.

 

And, repetition is the key to advertising. Unless the marketing research is mostly wrong.

[snepp]

 

then why don't tv stations change their model for how commercials are done? I'd bet they spend a lot of money on researching how to do this already.

 

And, repetition is the key to advertising. Unless the marketing research is mostly wrong.

 

I think you're wrong.

 

 

I think you're wrong.

 

 

I think you're wrong.

 

 

I almost have myself convinced! 

 

 

Can't speak for others, but I don't watch commercials, ever. I either leave the room to do something, or just flip the channel to something else. When it comes to repetition, I'd be far more likely to be influenced by something I see in short spurts more frequently than I do something in a longer ad sporadically. I would be far less likely to disappear between innings, or pitching changes, etc, if I knew the downtime was very minimal, and far more likely to be seeing any advertising.

[Mike Sixel]

 

I think you're wrong.

 

 

I think you're wrong.

 

 

I think you're wrong.

 

 

I almost have myself convinced! 

 

 

Can't speak for others, but I don't watch commercials, ever. I either leave the room to do something, or just flip the channel to something else. When it comes to repetition, I'd be far more likely to be influenced by something I see in short spurts more frequently than I do something in a longer ad sporadically. I would be far less likely to disappear between innings, or pitching changes, etc, if I knew the downtime was very minimal, and far more likely to be seeing any advertising.

 

I'm not convinced you are wrong, nor am I convinced tv execs have a clue how advertising works or doesn't......but clearly they think they are right, or they'd change.

 

I am like you, I'd turn the channel less if breaks were shorter.

[drjim]

I don't think anyone really knows how advertising works. Most studies I have read recently seem to suggest it is extremely overrated. If companies ever decide that, it would change the face of sports that much more.

[Mike Sixel]

 

I don't think anyone really knows how advertising works. Most studies I have read recently seem to suggest it is extremely overrated. If companies ever decide that, it would change the face of sports that much more.

 

I recall (long ago) reading studies about how little advertisers and companies understood advertising. But the key is, they think it works, and keep spending money this way.....

[ahart10]

Maybe commercials would go away completely if the league allowed ads on the field and jerseys.

[drjim]

 

Maybe commercials would go away completely if the league allowed ads on the field and jerseys.

 

At the very least, they should consider allowing some split screen ads for the first handful of pitches, especially early in the game. Could knock 15-20 minutes off a game time right there.

[ahart10]

Every pitch presented but bud light. Every strikeout by ford. Hits by cialis etc etc.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

What was this one after the 9th inning, something between 4:55 to 4:58?

[Vanimal46]

Jeff Passan wrote a detailed article about ideas that MLB is implementing to speed up pace of play. This includes a pitch clock, violations if pitchers break the rules, and a 30 second clock between batters.

 

I'm all for these changes and more to save us all precious time.

 

https://sports.yahoo.com/mlbs-plan-can-make-baseball-games-least-10-minutes-shorter-224752035.html

[Old Twins Cap]

It's the trips to the mound. 

 

First the catcher.  Then the first baseman.  Then the catcher walks the ball back out.  Then the pitching coach.  Then the catcher.  Then the first baseman.  Then the whole infield comes in to discuss strategy.  Then the catcher goes back out.  Then it gets to be 3-2 count and the catcher comes out after every foul ball.

 

That's the killer, along with time between pitches and how often the batter steps out.

 

And yes, it is absolutely limiting baseball's appeal to Millenials and those coming after them. 

 

They'd rather be talking to each other, or on their phone, or talking to each other on their phone.

 

 

[h2oface]

Nothing is gonna save the millennials from their phone addiction. It surely won't be messing with time clocks and changing the game for them. It has even infected gen x and Boomers and the old farts. Twits everywhere. They already have made the stadiums a mess of promotions and loudness between innings with music. You can't even hear the soothing sounds of the ball park anymore. 

 

Personally, I feel shafted if the game is over in 2 hours.

[bighat]

 

Nothing is gonna save the millennials from their phone addiction. It surely won't be messing with time clocks and changing the game for them. It has even infected gen x and Boomers and the old farts. Twits everywhere. They already have made the stadiums a mess of promotions and loudness between innings with music. You can't even hear the soothing sounds of the ball park anymore.

 

Mmmhhhmm. I agree with the poster above - the phone addiction is here to stay. Estimates say the pitch clock will shave off about 10 minutes per game. Do you think shaving 10 minutes off a 3-hour game is going to keep millennials eyes on the field and away from their phones? People stare at their phones during earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, house fires....if those situations can't pull people's eyes away from their iPhones, then a pitch clock certainly won't do that either.

[ashbury]

And yes, it is absolutely limiting baseball's appeal to Millenials and those coming after them.

Isn't there a lot of dead time when these millenials go to an NFL game, too?

[Dman]

 

Mmmhhhmm. I agree with the poster above - the phone addiction is here to stay. Estimates say the pitch clock will shave off about 10 minutes per game. Do you think shaving 10 minutes off a 3-hour game is going to keep millennials eyes on the field and away from their phones? People stare at their phones during earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, house fires....if those situations can't pull people's eyes away from their iPhones, then a pitch clock certainly won't do that either.

Well if ten minutes isn't that big of a deal then making them pitch a couple of seconds faster isn't that big of a deal either.  For most pitchers this won't really even affect them.  Personally picking up the pace appeals to me and I love baseball too.

[drjim]

Baseball should embrace being a second screen game. You can have the game on, and check out other stuff at the same time. And at the park, they are wisely marketing more to people who just want to hang out on a gorgeous weekend night and drink beer at pop up bars.

 

And when they're good and making playoff runs, the region will respond.

[Vanimal46]

Well if ten minutes isn't that big of a deal then making them pitch a couple of seconds faster isn't that big of a deal either. For most pitchers this won't really even affect them. Personally picking up the pace appeals to me and I love baseball too.

Agreed. For the most part we won't notice any of the clocks except for a few select pitchers (mostly relief pitchers) who are notoriously slow.

[Vanimal46]

Isn't there a lot of dead time when these millenials go to an NFL game, too?

Tons. I'll never go to an NFL game again. The commercial breaks are even worse when you realize players just stand on the field waiting for them to end.

[Vanimal46]

Nothing is gonna save the millennials from their phone addiction. It surely won't be messing with time clocks and changing the game for them. It has even infected gen x and Boomers and the old farts. Twits everywhere. They already have made the stadiums a mess of promotions and loudness between innings with music. You can't even hear the soothing sounds of the ball park anymore.

 

Personally, I feel shafted if the game is over in 2 hours.

I don't agree these proposals do anything to change the game. I mean, it won't change it as much as using juiced baseballs and building sandbox ballparks.

 

I've been to a few AAA games and I'm willing to bet 90% of fans won't even notice the pitch clocks. They'll just come out of the game feeling the pace kept up.

 

-Sent from my iPhone

[TheLeviathan]

 

At the very least, they should consider allowing some split screen ads for the first handful of pitches, especially early in the game. Could knock 15-20 minutes off a game time right there.

 

I was just about to post this in the other thread.  They're already doing it in the playoffs - cut the between-innings time down and run split screen commercials if you absolutely have to.  

 

Baseball is not a sport that demands your constant TV attention like football or hockey, you can walk away for a few minutes and catch up later.  If the commercial time is so precious....fine, but then shave down how much it impacts the game play.

[mickeymental]

we can land a man on the moon but nike can't design batting gloves that hold tight for an entire at-bat?

[Craig Arko]

we can land a man on the moon but nike can't design batting gloves that hold tight for an entire at-bat?

Last time we landed a man on the moon Harmon Killebrew was still playing for the Twins.

[mickeymental]

 

Last time we landed a man on the moon Harmon Killebrew was still playing for the Twins.

and next time we land a man on the moon there'll still be players who tighten their batting gloves after every pitch.

[h2oface]

 

Baseball should embrace being a second screen game. You can have the game on, and check out other stuff at the same time. And at the park, they are wisely marketing more to people who just want to hang out on a gorgeous weekend night and drink beer at pop up bars.

And when they're good and making playoff runs, the region will respond.

 

And then the ball hits you or your kid in the face.................... because you weren't paying attention.