This is all so disappointing and frustrating to watch unfold. I've been a diehard Twins fan for over 40 years and remember the days of watching quite a few of their games over the air on Channel 9 with my dad. On a very limited budget, he never would have would have dropped a dime for paid television. In fact, we watched on a 9-inch black and white television. In spite of the antiquated viewing option, I fell in love with the Twins and the sport. I will never forget the time that my dad won free Twins tickets in 1984. The first time that I walked through the cement hall and caught a glimpse of the white dome, blue baggy in right field, and bright green turf, it took my breath away.
Fast forward to today, I am still a diehard fan but the circumstances have changed. The wonder and awe of Target Field and the television experience are almost entirely gone. Also gone are the "Knothole Days" where a parent could buy an inexpensive ticket and get four more youth tickets for free. Most of my days during the baseball season involve work and then coaching. As a high school baseball coach, I wish the kids that I coach had the same opportunity to observe the Twins in the manner that I did. Free, over the air, and not a money grab.
I was able to attend the MN HS Baseball Coaches Association seminar at Target Field this past January. The seminar was amazing with guest speakers, great food, and an all-around great weekend. The weekend wrapped up with a Q&A with Derek Falvey. Some of the questions revolved around the television issue. Falvey spoke with great optimism and borderline promises. To summarize from memory, he said the details would be announced soon and fans are going to be happy with the options for 2024. I do not fault Falvey for this statement as he was likely just passing along information.
Whoever is to blame for this mess should be shown the door. If it's ownership, I do not know how that happens aside from not buying their product. Ownership is doing a great job of jump-starting that movement on their own. I would imagine that ownership sees limited television access as a path toward more attendance. In my experience, limited access will lead to a much more negative outcome than any positive bump in attendance.
