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From: Tarkus on 15 Jul 2010 10:29
Another great idea, Bud.

http://www.sportsmediawatch.net/2010/07/mlb-all-star-game-hits-record-low-draws.html

The 2010 MLB All-Star Game hit an all-time record low in ratings
Tuesday night -- and even drew fewer viewers than the Pro Bowl.

FOX drew a 7.5/13 final rating and 12.118 million viewers for the MLB
All-Star Game Tuesday night, down 16% in ratings and 17% in viewership
from last year (8.9, 14.593 mil), down 19% and 17%, respectively, from
the first nine innings in 2008 (9.3, 14.540 mil), and down 11% and 3%,
respectively, from 2007 (8.4, 12.530 mil).

This marks the lowest rated MLB All-Star Game ever (no other game had
even dropped below 8.0), and the least-viewed since at least 1981. The
previous lows came for the 2005 game, which drew an 8.1 rating and
12.330 million viewers.

[...]
From: tom dunne on 15 Jul 2010 12:04
On Jul 15, 10:29 am, Tarkus <karnev...(a)atlantabraves.net> wrote:
> Another great idea, Bud.
>
> http://www.sportsmediawatch.net/2010/07/mlb-all-star-game-hits-record...
>
> The 2010 MLB All-Star Game hit an all-time record low in ratings
> Tuesday night -- and even drew fewer viewers than the Pro Bowl.
>
> FOX drew a 7.5/13 final rating and 12.118 million viewers for the MLB
> All-Star Game Tuesday night, down 16% in ratings and 17% in viewership
> from last year (8.9, 14.593 mil), down 19% and 17%, respectively, from
> the first nine innings in 2008 (9.3, 14.540 mil), and down 11% and 3%,
> respectively, from 2007 (8.4, 12.530 mil).
>
> This marks the lowest rated MLB All-Star Game ever (no other game had
> even dropped below 8.0), and the least-viewed since at least 1981. The
> previous lows came for the 2005 game, which drew an 8.1 rating and
> 12.330 million viewers.
>
> [...]

You think that Bud's idea to make it 'count' is what caused viewership
to drop?
From: Tarkus on 15 Jul 2010 12:23
On 7/15/2010 9:04 AM, tom dunne wrote:
> You think that Bud's idea to make it 'count' is what caused viewership
> to drop?

No, but his idea was supposed to increase interest in the All-Star game.
In fact, it seems nobody, including the managers, seem to care that
"it counts" other than Bud himself.

What's funny is I remember back when it DIDN'T count, you'd often see
big stars play 6 or 7 innings. You NEVER see that now. You rarely even
see starting pitchers go three innings anymore, which was somewhat the
norm back in the day.

Of course, we have so many 7-game World Series, where the HFA comes into
play...
From: tom dunne on 15 Jul 2010 12:52
On Jul 15, 12:23 pm, Tarkus <karnev...(a)atlantabraves.net> wrote:
> On 7/15/2010 9:04 AM, tom dunne wrote:
>
> > You think that Bud's idea to make it 'count' is what caused viewership
> > to drop?
>
> No, but his idea was supposed to increase interest in the All-Star game.
>   In fact, it seems nobody, including the managers, seem to care that
> "it counts" other than Bud himself.
>
> What's funny is I remember back when it DIDN'T count, you'd often see
> big stars play 6 or 7 innings.  You NEVER see that now.  You rarely even
> see starting pitchers go three innings anymore, which was somewhat the
> norm back in the day.
>
> Of course, we have so many 7-game World Series, where the HFA comes into
> play...

I think the drop was directly related to the delayed start time. The
broadcast began at 8pm, but with all the preamble the first pitch
wasn't until 8:50. I imagine many casual fans just got tired of
waiting for the game to begin and moved on to something else. I don't
have a problem with Bud's using the ASG to determine home field (it's
no less arbitrary than alternating years), but his emphasis on pomp
and circumstance hasn't made it easy to watch games sometimes.
From: Tarkus on 15 Jul 2010 14:24
On 7/15/2010 9:52 AM, tom dunne wrote:
> I think the drop was directly related to the delayed start time. The
> broadcast began at 8pm, but with all the preamble the first pitch
> wasn't until 8:50. I imagine many casual fans just got tired of
> waiting for the game to begin and moved on to something else. I don't

I honestly changed the channel like three times, thinking somehow I
didn't make it to channel 5 (our Fox affiliate). That didn't help the
ratings, but I'm skeptical that it had a major impact, though I don't
really have an alternate theory on why the ratings tanked so bad.

> have a problem with Bud's using the ASG to determine home field (it's
> no less arbitrary than alternating years), but his emphasis on pomp
> and circumstance hasn't made it easy to watch games sometimes.

It's worse than alternating years, because the vast majority of
All-Stars won't sniff the World Series, so why should they care? And
they don't. Even the manager of the favorite Yankees left Big Poppy out
there to make an base-running out in the 9th inning, when he'd never do
that in a game that really counted.

Why not just give it to the team with the best record? You know, like
they do in every other sport (other than the Super Bowl). That would
give teams even with large divisional/league leads incentive to keep
playing to win. And managers SHOULD try to play as many players as
possible in the All-Star game. To me, that's the point, rather than who
wins or loses an exhibition game.
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