It's 10 o'clock, thought I would flip over to the Cubs – Nats game to see how it ends. Three hours in and still in the sixth inning. Won't be watching.

20 years ago baseball was my favorite TV sport. Hardly watch anymore. Who has time to invest four hours to watch a baseball game?

Silly, silly game.

Best to ignore it.

Sure pulling for a Dodgers-Yankees World Series.

(10-12-2017 10:04 PM)Tigx Wrote:  It's 10 o'clock, thought I would flip over to the Cubs – Nats game to see how it ends. Three hours in and still in the sixth inning. Won't be watching.

20 years ago baseball was my favorite TV sport. Hardly watch anymore. Who has time to invest four hours to watch a baseball game?

Takes a long time for Maddon to try and throw a series.

(10-12-2017 10:04 PM)Tigx Wrote:  It's 10 o'clock, thought I would flip over to the Cubs – Nats game to see how it ends. Three hours in and still in the sixth inning. Won't be watching.

20 years ago baseball was my favorite TV sport. Hardly watch anymore. Who has time to invest four hours to watch a baseball game?

Same way. Just too long.

At the same time, I hear the playoffs ratings are up substantially this year. Think about this: they are benefiting from having the largest 4 cities in the nation in the semi's - NY, LA, Chicago, Houston. Not bad. Also, they are getting some bump from sports fans who are turning off the NFL. I actually watched some last night instead of the Titans.

They could win me back if they figure out how to speed it up.

(10-12-2017 11:18 PM)AlonsoWDC Wrote:  Silly, silly game.

Best to ignore it.

One guy tries to hit another guy in the nuts with a baseball.

That guy tries to catch it with a thick glove so he doesn't get hit in the nuts.

A different guy takes a bat and tries to hit the ball over the fence into the face of some ******* who tries to catch it bare handed.

Then they all pat each other on the ass and spit.

I'll pass.

(10-17-2017 01:34 PM)Tiger87 Wrote:  

(10-12-2017 10:04 PM)Tigx Wrote:  It's 10 o'clock, thought I would flip over to the Cubs – Nats game to see how it ends. Three hours in and still in the sixth inning. Won't be watching.

20 years ago baseball was my favorite TV sport. Hardly watch anymore. Who has time to invest four hours to watch a baseball game?

Same way. Just too long.

At the same time, I hear the playoffs ratings are up substantially this year. Think about this: they are benefiting from having the largest 4 cities in the nation in the semi's - NY, LA, Chicago, Houston. Not bad. Also, they are getting some bump from sports fans who are turning off the NFL. I actually watched some last night instead of the Titans.

They could win me back if they figure out how to speed it up.

Win you back?

The game went 3:20.

The Kirk Gibson vs. Eck was a 3:04.

The Fisk-Reds game was 4+ hours.

The Buckner game was 4:01

Game 6 of the Braves-Mets in 1999 went 4:25. Game 1 of that series went 3:09 (4-2 Braves) .

The 2004 Cards-Bosox sweep averaged 3:24 a game.



I don't know exactly know how you are going to get "won back."

Hell, do you watch any sports? College football games routinely take 4+ hours now. An NBA game is a solid 2.5 hours.

The one or two games Memphis gets on ESPN this year will guaranteed be preempted for some time because the two hours slotted for the early game will bleed well past that into the scheduled time of the next game.

Official game time of that Cubs-Nats game was 4:37 minutes.

Average length of a regulation NBA game in in 2015-2016 was 133.9 minutes, or 2 hours and 14 minutes. http://www.inpredictable.com/2016/02/nba...lower.html

And despite this, the NBA took measures this summer to quicken the pace more, dropping the total number of timeouts by 4 each game. And reducing full timeouts from 90 seconds to 75 seconds. Also teams can now only call 2 total timeouts in the final two minutes of the game. Also the 15 minute halftime will begin immediately after the end of the 2nd quarter. http://www.nba.com/article/2017/07/12/nb...deadline#/

The NBA gets it.

(10-17-2017 03:20 PM)Tigx Wrote:  Official game time of that Cubs-Nats game was 4:37 minutes.

Average length of a regulation NBA game in in 2015-2016 was 133.9 minutes, or 2 hours and 14 minutes. http://www.inpredictable.com/2016/02/nba...lower.html

And despite this, the NBA took measures this summer to quicken the pace more, dropping the total number of timeouts by 4 each game. And reducing full timeouts from 90 seconds to 75 seconds. Also teams can now only call 2 total timeouts in the final two minutes of the game. Also the 15 minute halftime will begin immediately after the end of the 2nd quarter. http://www.nba.com/article/2017/07/12/nb...deadline#/

The NBA gets it.

MLB also passed several rules to shorten the game. They eliminated the 4 balls required to intent6inally walk a player. They shorten the time limit to ask for review to 30 seconds. They put in a time limit between pitches.

Looks like next year they will limit the number of meeting between pitcher and catcher allowed per inning.

Baseball is a much more difficult game to play and more of a chess game than other sports. Especially the NL style of play. If you fail 7 times out of ten in other stick and ball sports you are fired. In baseball you are a all star.

But do not worry if Maddon keeps handling the pitching staff and substitutions as he has the series will soon be over.

(10-17-2017 03:07 PM)salukiblue Wrote:  

(10-17-2017 01:34 PM)Tiger87 Wrote:  

(10-12-2017 10:04 PM)Tigx Wrote:  It's 10 o'clock, thought I would flip over to the Cubs – Nats game to see how it ends. Three hours in and still in the sixth inning. Won't be watching.

20 years ago baseball was my favorite TV sport. Hardly watch anymore. Who has time to invest four hours to watch a baseball game?

Same way. Just too long.

At the same time, I hear the playoffs ratings are up substantially this year. Think about this: they are benefiting from having the largest 4 cities in the nation in the semi's - NY, LA, Chicago, Houston. Not bad. Also, they are getting some bump from sports fans who are turning off the NFL. I actually watched some last night instead of the Titans.

They could win me back if they figure out how to speed it up.

Win you back?

The game went 3:20.

The Kirk Gibson vs. Eck was a 3:04.

The Fisk-Reds game was 4+ hours.

The Buckner game was 4:01

Game 6 of the Braves-Mets in 1999 went 4:25. Game 1 of that series went 3:09 (4-2 Braves) .

The 2004 Cards-Bosox sweep averaged 3:24 a game.



I don't know exactly know how you are going to get "won back."

Hell, do you watch any sports? College football games routinely take 4+ hours now. An NBA game is a solid 2.5 hours.

The one or two games Memphis gets on ESPN this year will guaranteed be preempted for some time because the two hours slotted for the early game will bleed well past that into the scheduled time of the next game.

Anecdotes. If you truly think MLB games haven't slowed down over the past 10 years or so, can't help you.

The difference in MLB and football or basketball is the activity. You have the appearance of more happening with the others, so the interest is there for 3 hours. With MLB going over 3 hours now, just too much downtime. I love the thinking aspect of it, but it's just too much.

Geez. I can't believe you're arguing over my tv viewing habits.

'87, he goes back to the 80's to find a 3 hour game, and acts like he has made a point.

Btw, yesterday's two 9 inning games were 3 hours, 37 minutes and 3 hours, 39 minutes. Too damn long. No thanks.

You can only control certain aspects of baseball. You can't predict how many full counts, how many foul balls how many pitching changes will occur. Then if a manager wants to pull an Earl Weaver stunt and argue a call, that alone can take 15 minutes but watching Earl argue with an ump was worth the price of the ticket.

(10-18-2017 04:06 PM)Tiger87 Wrote:  

(10-17-2017 03:07 PM)salukiblue Wrote:  

(10-17-2017 01:34 PM)Tiger87 Wrote:  

(10-12-2017 10:04 PM)Tigx Wrote:  It's 10 o'clock, thought I would flip over to the Cubs – Nats game to see how it ends. Three hours in and still in the sixth inning. Won't be watching.

20 years ago baseball was my favorite TV sport. Hardly watch anymore. Who has time to invest four hours to watch a baseball game?

Same way. Just too long.

At the same time, I hear the playoffs ratings are up substantially this year. Think about this: they are benefiting from having the largest 4 cities in the nation in the semi's - NY, LA, Chicago, Houston. Not bad. Also, they are getting some bump from sports fans who are turning off the NFL. I actually watched some last night instead of the Titans.

They could win me back if they figure out how to speed it up.

Win you back?

The game went 3:20.

The Kirk Gibson vs. Eck was a 3:04.

The Fisk-Reds game was 4+ hours.

The Buckner game was 4:01

Game 6 of the Braves-Mets in 1999 went 4:25. Game 1 of that series went 3:09 (4-2 Braves) .

The 2004 Cards-Bosox sweep averaged 3:24 a game.



I don't know exactly know how you are going to get "won back."

Hell, do you watch any sports? College football games routinely take 4+ hours now. An NBA game is a solid 2.5 hours.

The one or two games Memphis gets on ESPN this year will guaranteed be preempted for some time because the two hours slotted for the early game will bleed well past that into the scheduled time of the next game.

Anecdotes. If you truly think MLB games haven't slowed down over the past 10 years or so, can't help you.

The difference in MLB and football or basketball is the activity. You have the appearance of more happening with the others, so the interest is there for 3 hours. With MLB going over 3 hours now, just too much downtime. I love the thinking aspect of it, but it's just too much.

Geez. I can't believe you're arguing over my tv viewing habits.

Have been several sub 3 hour games this year but they are considered very boring game. 1-0 games where a team may score early and then both teams are shut down the rest of the way.

While this year they set a record for average game time, the average time is still only 3:05. So the 4 hour games are an abnormality. The vast majority are under 3 hours.

Playoff game are going to take longer because managers make far more moves and everything slows down due to the elimination factor in the playoff which make winning each game more important.

https://www.si.com/mlb/2017/10/02/mlb-av...time-rises

(10-18-2017 07:38 PM)ncrdbl1 Wrote:  Playoff game are going to take longer because managers make far more moves and everything slows down due to the elimination factor in the playoff which make winning each game more important.

https://www.si.com/mlb/2017/10/02/mlb-av...time-rises

This is what it boils down to. Best pitchers are facing the best hitters so its longer counts and more pitching changes. Not to mention, as with the NCAA tournament, the commercial breaks are longer than regular season. If they aren't, it sure seems that way.

My suggestion would be if don't like the length of baseball of games, don't watch. Its just a matter of personal preference. Personally, I wouldn't waste 2 1/2 hours watching even the 1st NBA game, but have no problem sitting for 4 hours watching baseball.

(10-18-2017 04:15 PM)Tigx Wrote:  '87, he goes back to the 80's to find a 3 hour game, and acts like he has made a point.

Btw, yesterday's two 9 inning games were 3 hours, 37 minutes and 3 hours, 39 minutes. Too damn long. No thanks.

I didn't go BACK to the 80's to find one, I went back to show they also existed back then.

His/her point was baseball is too long NOW and is no longer watching it (implication he/she used to watch it) because of long game times.

My point is this time of year, (like in the past) a game will be anywhere between 3 to 3.5 hours. Shorter in low run games, longer in closer or high scoring games.

(10-18-2017 04:06 PM)Tiger87 Wrote:  Geez. I can't believe you're arguing over my tv viewing habits.

Says the guy/gal posting on a message board about his/her future viewing habits.

(10-19-2017 10:56 AM)MemTigers1998 Wrote:  

(10-18-2017 07:38 PM)ncrdbl1 Wrote:  Playoff game are going to take longer because managers make far more moves and everything slows down due to the elimination factor in the playoff which make winning each game more important.

https://www.si.com/mlb/2017/10/02/mlb-av...time-rises

My suggestion would be if don't like the length of baseball of games, don't watch. Its just a matter of personal preference. Personally, I wouldn't waste 2 1/2 hours watching even the 1st NBA game, but have no problem sitting for 4 hours watching baseball.

"Don't watch" is exactly what I and millions are doing. And I've watched probably 10 hours of the greatest athletes in the world, NBA players, in the last 2 days.

And there are millions like me. Go back 30 years, the World Series averaged 34.5M and 36.4M viewers in '85 and '86. The two most recent years I could find were '14 and '15 - 13.9M and 14.5M viewers. 60% drop in viewers, despite a much larger U.S. population, in just 30 years.

(10-19-2017 11:25 AM)Tigx Wrote:  

(10-19-2017 10:56 AM)MemTigers1998 Wrote:  

(10-18-2017 07:38 PM)ncrdbl1 Wrote:  Playoff game are going to take longer because managers make far more moves and everything slows down due to the elimination factor in the playoff which make winning each game more important.

https://www.si.com/mlb/2017/10/02/mlb-av...time-rises

My suggestion would be if don't like the length of baseball of games, don't watch. Its just a matter of personal preference. Personally, I wouldn't waste 2 1/2 hours watching even the 1st NBA game, but have no problem sitting for 4 hours watching baseball.

"Don't watch" is exactly what I and millions are doing. And I've watched probably 10 hours of the greatest athletes in the world, NBA players, in the last 2 days.

And there are millions like me. Go back 30 years, the World Series averaged 34.5M and 36.4M viewers in '85 and '86. The two most recent years I could find were '14 and '15 - 13.9M and 14.5M viewers. 60% drop in viewers, despite a much larger U.S. population, in just 30 years.

Same for NBA. In fact last year's WS (22.8MM) outdrew this past season's NBA finals. (20.8MM).

The NBA has drawn better than MLB over the past five years, but are still A LOT lower than they were in their heyday of the mid 90's.

(10-19-2017 11:19 AM)salukiblue Wrote:  

(10-18-2017 04:06 PM)Tiger87 Wrote:  Geez. I can't believe you're arguing over my tv viewing habits.

Says the guy/gal posting on a message board about his/her future viewing habits.

I (male, BTW) post my viewing habits to agree that the game has lost me. Seems stale and the games are longer.

You come on to argue about my reasons. Ridiculous.

The game set a record for longest average time this year. Yet you find a couple of games from 30 years ago to refute this year's average covering ~5,000 games.

Sounds about right.

3 of the reasons that baseball games are longer now than 30 years ago:

1. Starting pitchers used to throw 130+ pitches and would go 6-7 innings routinely. Now, with bullpens having multiple guys throwing upper 90s and lefty/ lefty & righty/ righty matchups, there's more pitching changes than back then.

2. All games are broadcast now on a level that didn't happen 30 years ago. Advertising on the games adds to the length.

3. More home runs hit this year than ever before. A slow trot, some high fives, etc adds a couple of minutes that a single to right doesn't require.

College football games used to last 3 hours max when everyone ran the I-formation and wish bone. Spread offenses, higher scores, and TV advertising means they're all over 3 hrs now.