How to Convince Someone that Baseball is a Good TV Sport

In the fast-paced world of the 21st century, the grand old game of baseball can sometimes seem like a pastime that’s past its prime—particularly on television, where sports like NFL football and NBA basketball attract viewers with the promise of speed and constant action. Baseball however has its own unique strengths and assets that make it a surprisingly good sport for the tube. So if you’re a baseball fan, the next time somebody tells you your sport is no good on TV, lay some of these facts on them.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Unlike football or NASCAR, fans of baseball can see the players' faces. While this may be a minor factor in the overall contest, it is major one when considering television broadcasts. Telling the players apart, being able to see their reactions and emotional displays, along with interplay between teammates and opponents, makes games, and particularly extended playoff match-ups, much more interesting and fun.
2. Baseball has more action than meets the eye. While individual plays in a football game can produce unbelievable action in short bursts, those plays take place after considerable pauses in time. A play is run, then the officials have to spot the ball and the players have to huddle up and call a play. From there, all 22 players assemble the play at the line and if things go well, and there are no other delays--false starts, timeouts, or a five-minute yawn for an instant replay review--you get another eight seconds of action. In baseball, there is a pitch being thrown every few seconds, and every one of them is a live ball that can effect the outcome of the game.
3. There are battles within the battle in every baseball game--the pitcher versus the batter; the catcher versus a base runner; both the pitcher and catcher against the batter--and all of them take place during the time when the ball is not in play off-the-bat. There is always something going on.
4. While baseball is classified as a team game, it is really a team game made up of individual achievements. In football or basketball, virtually any individual achievement is accomplished with the direct aide of others--Tony Parker scores on a fast break after a rebound by Tim Duncan; Tom Brady throws a TD pass on a great catch by Randy Moss--while losses can rarely be blamed on one individual. Baseball is different, and it makes for perfect TV drama--complete with heroes and goats for every game. A batter faces a pitcher alone; a fielder either makes a play or is directly credited with an error. Every game produces a winning and losing pitcher.
5. Most major television sports are played and decided by a game clock. NBA games are 48 minutes long, NFL and NHL games 60. Even NASCAR has mileage limits. Baseball is different. When your team is trailing in the ninth inning, you know that game can't end until the other team gets three outs. No clock will end the game for you. Suspense makes for good TV.