One MANS Opinion: Episode 2 – What’s Wrong With Baseball?

Jeff takes a step back from his baseball fandom to uncover the issues that surround America’s former pastime. Why is attendance dropping? Why aren’t more Americans playing the sport? How can we improve fantasy baseball so that future generations will be able to identify with it? Jeff Mans goes over all the data and offers his theories on how to fix this wonderful sport.   Key Takeaways: [1:20] We need to have a conversation about baseball. [4:00] Sports was a way of life for Jeff and his friends in the southside of Chicago. [10:05] It’s no secret that Jeff is one of the most outspoken people about fantasy baseball. [12:50] Like a bad marriage, you sometimes don’t know you’re in one until someone talks you through it. Fantasy baseball is the same way. [15:25] The bottom line is the interest in fantasy baseball is just not there. [20:05] Jeff shares real stats on how many people used to watch baseball back in the day vs. now. [27:30] In terms of watch rates, baseball is plunging to the same level as horse racing, skateboarding, and bowling. What kind of America is this! [29:00] Fantasy baseball is the least diverse fantasy sport of them all. There. Jeff said it! [33:00] Baseball is ostracizing women, minorities, middle-class and the poor by their expensive games; no wonder no one wants to go! [35:40] Jeff wishes he had the power to change MLB and clean it all up to boost viewership. [39:45] There are huge problems in MLB and we’re just ignoring them! [42:40] Everything Jeff has listed so far are pure FACTS. [44:20] Fantasy football is huge because it’s interesting! [46:20] The younger generation doesn’t watch one TV show anymore. They’ve got two screens running at all times plus they’re on their phone. That’s just the way the world is right now! [49:40] So what can you do about it? We need more leaders and we need different voices out there. It starts with hiring more minorities and more women. Get a good mix of different people from different backgrounds in the fold to give baseball the spark it needs. [52:45] Viewership is just going to keep going down until we change as an industry and until you as the consumer speak up.   Resource: Elitefantasy.com Fantasyguru.com Elitesportsbetting.com Jeff on Twitter   Quotes:   “I love this game. It’s a backdrop of everything that I love about sports.”   “If you don’t recognize there’s a problem, you’re just going to sink deeper and that’s what happening with fantasy baseball.”   “9% of Americans identify MLB as being their favorite sport. 52% say American football. That is unfathomable.”