Next, Baseball. Numbers took over America’s pastime over a decade ago, but the full effects of that takeover are now coming to the forefront. Batters are striking out at historic rates, mainly because baseball’s seemingly untouchable culture has changed. Another cultural shift has had the game extending in length, so that the games seem never ending, exacerbated by social media attention spans. America’s pastime finds itself yearning for the past, while also realizing that its once celebrated traditions are what’s holding it back in 2017.

 

Finally, Football. While not facing a statistical takeover (really only one position’s numbers are religiously watched: the QB), Football is facing a cultural shift of its own. From player safety to political expression, the NFL is also trying to navigate changing viewing habits and new interests. What recently seemed like a sure bet, the NFL is now looking over its shoulder, having second thoughts about both its style of play and the treatment of its players.

 

These changes and shifts are not unheard of, and I don’t want to force my opinions on the reader about the recent evolutions. Instead, I want to examine a few moments that struck me as “sports-history-in-the-making” moments. The first moment involves a newly proposed rule change to MLB’s extra-innings, and the second moment involves the time the New York Knicks kept the Garden quiet for the first half of a game.

 

 

 

Major league baseball has been evaluating the pace of baseball games for a few years now. Baseball has historically moved at a glacial pace when it comes to culture shifts, but with bad attendance, slumping ratings, and a lack of zest and appeal to the social media driven youth, the MLB has essentially hit the panic button and put every aspect of the game under heavy scrutiny.

 

One of their new proposals suggests placing a runner on second base in the 10th inning in an attempt to end the game faster. 

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Whether you agree or disagree with the proposal (I strongly disagree), the interesting part is that the runner is arbitrarily assigned to both teams, giving them an instant opportunity to win the game. It strikes me that there is no merit, or even chance, involved in that suggestion.

 

In the NFL, they have the coin toss (luck), and in the NBA they have the jumpball (skill/merit) to start overtime. That’s why the MLB rule strikes me as bizarre, because it is as artificial an addition as you can make in a sport. And I don’t mean to say the NFL’s overtime rules are any better, the whole “each team has a chance to respond” idea isn’t great in execution, but at least the coin toss is a consistent element (they use it before kickoff as well).

 

Baseball needs a facelift, not an artificial modernization. The sport needs to relinquish its “bastion of the good old days” mentality, and look in the mirror concerning the unwritten rules of baseball. These “rules,” some over 50 years old, bump up against innovative ideas by younger players and executives, hurting the game (bat flips are a must have in the social media era!). Rethinking positions and habits, such as roster size and pitching rotations, is a better place to start.

 

Again, this is where I find it fascinating in terms of a sport’s tradition and culture. How does America’s pastime get so bogged down in the past? Do younger fans and players not feel confident in suggesting new ideas? Or is it just the pack mentality about “that’s the way the game has always been played?” How about actively re-writing the “unwritten rules” of baseball to make the game more appealing to a new generation of fans!

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On to the second example. In early March, the New York Knicks decided to stop playing all artificial noise in the first half of a game against the Golden State Warriors. The short, sharp squeaks of the players’ sneakers on the hardwood and the occasional fan cheer were all that filled the world’s most famous arena. Many criticized the decision, including most of the players in the game, but there was also a chorus of support from other NBA fans.