Leave it to Major League Baseball to derail its own high-speed train.
Over the last 10 days, fans were glued to the internet as hundreds of millions of dollars was being spent on free agents. The late November buzz was both rare and palatable.
And now…nothing. Crickets.
Less than 12 hours after baseball locked its players out for the first time since 1990, the league and players association are already pointing fingers at one another.
Major League Baseball Commissioner, Rob Manfred is disappointed a new deal didn’t get done. So is player’s association Executive Director, Tony Clark.
Baseball has roughly two months to hammer out a new collective bargaining agreement before money will be lost. But the potential damage of games lost goes well beyond the bottom line.
Baseball is already fighting an uphill battle in appealing to a younger audience. Void of a clock, baseball just doesn’t match the speed of everyday life.
Baseball is scared to death of the 3 minutes that trickle by in between balls that are put in play. Throw in billionaires bickering with millionaires…it’s all a major turn off for the fans.
Entertainment options are limitless. Sports gambling is creating fans for any sport actively participating. For most sports, it’s full steam ahead. Baseball remains stuck in the mud.