Started By
Message
College Baseball Discussion
Posted on 7/12/16 at 3:32 pm
Posted on 7/12/16 at 3:32 pm
Disclamer: I know some of you don't give a shite about college baseball, mainly because your teams are irrevelant, but either way, you don't have to comment.
The topic of discussion is, what will it take for College Baseball's popularity to increase nation wide?
For me, personally, I think college baseball is the most enjoyable college sport to watch. It's the last of the big 3 sports to keep it's integrity. No cheating, just kids playing ball for your college. Fans get an opportunity to attend 3 games per weekend, rather than one like football and basketball. The playoffs, IMO, are the most exciting to watch in any sport, college or proffesional. 16 4-team tournaments, then 8 3-game series between the 16 best teams in the nation, followed by a 8 team tournament that is open to parody, year in and year out(see Coastal Carolina).
The SEC has done it's part to make College Baseball something great. Polk and Bertman created college baseball, and many other SEC teams have followed suit. LSU, MSU and OM have some of the best atmospheres to watch a baseball game in the country, college or pro. Arkansas, S. Carolina and A&M have 1st class stadiums, while Alabama and Auburn have upgraded theirs significantly. A&M, Vandy and Florida are seemingly always top 10 teams recently, and all put multiple 1st and 2nd rounders into the draft year in and year out. However, the SEC and ACC are the only conferences that can claim these achievements, and maybe the PAC-12. Why?
Is it because the weather outside of South East and West Coast is too cold at the start of the season for fans to become invested?
Is it because most of the top talents skip college baseball and go straight to the pros?
Is it because outside of the South East most colleges have a MLB team within 50-100 miles to root for instead of their college team?
Is it because Baseball's popularity as a whole has declined since the steroid era?
Or is it a combination of all these reasons? If so, what will it take for the sport to overcome these deficiencies and become a popular sport nationally?
The topic of discussion is, what will it take for College Baseball's popularity to increase nation wide?
For me, personally, I think college baseball is the most enjoyable college sport to watch. It's the last of the big 3 sports to keep it's integrity. No cheating, just kids playing ball for your college. Fans get an opportunity to attend 3 games per weekend, rather than one like football and basketball. The playoffs, IMO, are the most exciting to watch in any sport, college or proffesional. 16 4-team tournaments, then 8 3-game series between the 16 best teams in the nation, followed by a 8 team tournament that is open to parody, year in and year out(see Coastal Carolina).
The SEC has done it's part to make College Baseball something great. Polk and Bertman created college baseball, and many other SEC teams have followed suit. LSU, MSU and OM have some of the best atmospheres to watch a baseball game in the country, college or pro. Arkansas, S. Carolina and A&M have 1st class stadiums, while Alabama and Auburn have upgraded theirs significantly. A&M, Vandy and Florida are seemingly always top 10 teams recently, and all put multiple 1st and 2nd rounders into the draft year in and year out. However, the SEC and ACC are the only conferences that can claim these achievements, and maybe the PAC-12. Why?
Is it because the weather outside of South East and West Coast is too cold at the start of the season for fans to become invested?
Is it because most of the top talents skip college baseball and go straight to the pros?
Is it because outside of the South East most colleges have a MLB team within 50-100 miles to root for instead of their college team?
Is it because Baseball's popularity as a whole has declined since the steroid era?
Or is it a combination of all these reasons? If so, what will it take for the sport to overcome these deficiencies and become a popular sport nationally?
8
Posted on 7/12/16 at 3:35 pm to DistrictDawg
I'll get back to you in February.
Posted on 7/12/16 at 3:38 pm to DistrictDawg
quote:
what will it take for College Baseball's popularity to increase nation wide?
MLB to do away with players being able to enter the draft until they are 21, AND having the same go for international players.
College Baseball is in the same boat as college soccer.
That is on top of the cultural shift away from baseball.
quote:
Is it because the weather outside of South East and West Coast is too cold at the start of the season for fans to become invested?
Nah, they just have pro teams to root for. Better product.
quote:
Is it because most of the top talents skip college baseball and go straight to the pros?
Yes.
quote:
Is it because outside of the South East most colleges have a MLB team within 50-100 miles to root for instead of their college team?
Also yes. Better Baseball.
quote:
Is it because Baseball's popularity as a whole has declined since the steroid era?
Partially, but college baseball has never been worth much besides the CWS.
quote:
Or is it a combination of all these reasons? If so, what will it take for the sport to overcome these deficiencies and become a popular sport nationally?
Only the MLB adjusting its entry rules can help college baseball, and they aren't going to do that.
This post was edited on 7/12/16 at 3:46 pm
Posted on 7/12/16 at 3:39 pm to 5thTiger
quote:
MLB to do away with players being able to enter the draft until they are 21, AND having the same go for international players.
I don't really think there is any other way than this.
Posted on 7/12/16 at 3:41 pm to DistrictDawg
Cue the malcontents who say that they "hate baseball" to click a thread titled, College Baseball Discussion, in order to post a comment about how "no one cares about baseball."
This post was edited on 7/12/16 at 4:13 pm
Posted on 7/12/16 at 3:41 pm to DistrictDawg
Lack of scholarships and the opportunity to go straight to the MLB system from high school.
Posted on 7/12/16 at 3:42 pm to DistrictDawg
quote:
The topic of discussion is, what will it take for College Baseball's popularity to increase nation wide?
The biggest thing is that quality of play would need to go up. That is basically impossible across the board. But it can happen at the top.
The way that is accomplished is by increasing scholarship limits to at least 20, but 25 would be better. This would mean that more top tier talent would be going to the upper echelon schools instead of being spread out throughout the country. The guys that pitch at ULL because LSU didn't have schollies for them, they can go to LSU now. (not the best example, because ULL would still be fine, but you get the idea)
While this would hurt the smaller schools, it would have a dramatic impact on quality of play at the upper tier schools. The ones already making money on the sport would influence the decision makers at schools where it can be possible to make money on the sport and spur investment at those schools (this is already happening, see all the investment in the past few years into Big 10 baseball programs).
Additionally, it all starts locally. Even without the increase in scholarships, a good, energetic coach can sell the program to locals and get interest in there. The easiest way to do that, and this is where the SEC fails, is by selling beer in the ball park. They do it in Omaha now, let's do it everywhere.
Posted on 7/12/16 at 3:43 pm to DistrictDawg
Yes, many of SEC baseball fans are not also MLB fans due to proximity.
But, it's also because MLB has yet to show any respect to NCAA Baseball. Instead, they should embrace it. They should change they're farm league hierarchy to encourage playing ball in college. If this were the case, it wouldn't be a 3-year commitment.
But, it's also because MLB has yet to show any respect to NCAA Baseball. Instead, they should embrace it. They should change they're farm league hierarchy to encourage playing ball in college. If this were the case, it wouldn't be a 3-year commitment.
Posted on 7/12/16 at 3:46 pm to DistrictDawg
Most northern schools would like season to be pushed back which would mean players would go well beyond the draft and risk injury and colleges would have to house athletes even though school would be out and it would end all college summer leagues.
I don't think steroid era had anything to do with it.
I wish they would go back to a livelier bat especially in Omaha.
There is enough talent even without draft to support college baseball
roster limits have been good for the sport
More aid is needed for college baseball players
I don't think steroid era had anything to do with it.
I wish they would go back to a livelier bat especially in Omaha.
There is enough talent even without draft to support college baseball
roster limits have been good for the sport
More aid is needed for college baseball players
Posted on 7/12/16 at 3:49 pm to jptiger2009
quote:
But, it's also because MLB has yet to show any respect to NCAA Baseball. Instead, they should embrace it. They should change they're farm league hierarchy to encourage playing ball in college. If this were the case, it wouldn't be a 3-year commitment.
The incentives between the two entities don't align, and that's something that's going to be very hard to overcome. I think it's possible that if scholarships are upped, one of the levels of Rookie or A ball could potentially be cut, but that is wayyyyyy down the road if ever.
Posted on 7/12/16 at 4:07 pm to 5thTiger
Great point on international players, and something I overlooked. A quick google search shows that 27.5% of MLB players are international, compared to 21% in the NBA and 3% in the NFL. My question is, could the MLB legally force non-citizens to attend US universities before joining a major league organization? I'm not very big on the NBA, so I'm not sure how they deal with international players. Are they allowed to get drafted as an 18 year old or is it just US citizens that have to attend 1 year of college?
Posted on 7/12/16 at 4:21 pm to ProjectP2294
Great post. There are over 6000 players affiliated with an MLB organization. Considering this as well as the fact that there are 300 D1 College Baseball teams, there are just not enough good players to go around. Maybe college baseball should cut the number of D1 teams down to about 120, drop the other 180 teams down to D2, and take half the scholarships from the D2 teams and give them to the D1 teams. Sounds harsh, but that is how college football works, and no one is complaining. Or maybe the NCAA could even set up some type of relegation system for the mid major conferences to keep the 120 D1 teams competitive. Base it on a leagues average RPI, the D1 league with the lowest average RPI after a 5-7 year period goes down to D2, while the highest D2 RPI league moves up to D1.
On the beer thing, I think the SEC, or atleast MSU has it right. Coolers are allowed, you don't have to spend $8 a beer and you also don't have to walk to the concession stand every time your cup is empty.
On the beer thing, I think the SEC, or atleast MSU has it right. Coolers are allowed, you don't have to spend $8 a beer and you also don't have to walk to the concession stand every time your cup is empty.
Posted on 7/12/16 at 4:28 pm to DistrictDawg
College baseball would be electric if kids couldn't go straight outa high school. Bring the old bats back.
Posted on 7/12/16 at 5:37 pm to DistrictDawg
quote:
The topic of discussion is, what will it take for College Baseball's popularity to increase nation wide?
Page 1 of 1
Popular
Back to top
Follow SECRant for SEC Football News