Today, we look at some of the longest games in MLB history, determine the "ideal" length of a game, and examine how to make games quicker without resorting to gimmicks.
Two and a half hours sounds about right to me, as well. But I wonder if there are correlates in the ensuing years that would indicate whether the lengthening of games has had any impact on attendance (adjusted for altered stadium capacities and other factors), TV ratings, fans' perceptions, popularity of the game (especially with kids), and the like. There appears to be a clear trend in the length-of-game data until 2000, then either a decline and resumption of the trend, or a flattening. Any thoughts on what might have caused this inflection point in 2000? With this many data points, once some companion opinion or behavioral data are identified, either time series or interrupted time series analysis might provide some interesting answers.
I would love to see such an analysis also. Obviously, the Major League powers that be believe it is an issue. I blame Tony Larussa who brought over managing to an art form.
That is an interesting hypothesis in one respect, since Larussa began managing in 1979 at the very beginning of the observed trend. Alas, since all we have in the chart (which I am too lazy to extend backwards) are the data from 1978 and after, we cannot control for a pre-existing trend, if there was one. Also, LaRussa continued to manage through the 2000 discontinuity, breaking off about a decade later. Of course, one could argue that by 2000 he had done about as much damage to net game efficiency as he could. :-)
Of course, I blame Larussa with my tongue planted at least partially in my cheek, but I think there is an element of truth here. Like most he best way things in life, there are multiple causes for the conundrum, but I still contend that the players policing themselves is the .only viable solution. Three batter rules and the like are not going to do it
Change for improvements is good. But change just for the sake of change is not. There’s a reason this game in its present form (sans the DH) has been around for over 160 years. No need to speed things up.
Two and a half hours sounds about right to me, as well. But I wonder if there are correlates in the ensuing years that would indicate whether the lengthening of games has had any impact on attendance (adjusted for altered stadium capacities and other factors), TV ratings, fans' perceptions, popularity of the game (especially with kids), and the like. There appears to be a clear trend in the length-of-game data until 2000, then either a decline and resumption of the trend, or a flattening. Any thoughts on what might have caused this inflection point in 2000? With this many data points, once some companion opinion or behavioral data are identified, either time series or interrupted time series analysis might provide some interesting answers.
I would love to see such an analysis also. Obviously, the Major League powers that be believe it is an issue. I blame Tony Larussa who brought over managing to an art form.
That is an interesting hypothesis in one respect, since Larussa began managing in 1979 at the very beginning of the observed trend. Alas, since all we have in the chart (which I am too lazy to extend backwards) are the data from 1978 and after, we cannot control for a pre-existing trend, if there was one. Also, LaRussa continued to manage through the 2000 discontinuity, breaking off about a decade later. Of course, one could argue that by 2000 he had done about as much damage to net game efficiency as he could. :-)
Of course, I blame Larussa with my tongue planted at least partially in my cheek, but I think there is an element of truth here. Like most he best way things in life, there are multiple causes for the conundrum, but I still contend that the players policing themselves is the .only viable solution. Three batter rules and the like are not going to do it
Change for improvements is good. But change just for the sake of change is not. There’s a reason this game in its present form (sans the DH) has been around for over 160 years. No need to speed things up.