The WBC Ends: A Nation Doesn’t Notice

Well, wasn’t that just a BLAST! While instead of watching the USA get beaten like a drum by Japan last night in the World Baseball Classic Semi-Finals, I was busy enjoying another brilliant episode of Celebrity Apprentice (Brande Roderick can be my project manager anytime). Instead of sitting down in my palatial estate and watching some of America’s best baseball players of my generation battle it out for a chance to be the best in the world. I watched as Brian McKnight sang his way into the hearts of 450 ACN Video Phone employees to finally win a task for the Men’s team.

This is where the problem is for the World Baseball Classic. To have someone who loves sports so much as to write about it on a daily basis on a blog not watch the game and instead watch random celebrities try to not to be fired by “The Donald” is not good for baseball. Now, I’m using myself as an example, but the problem is like this throughout the entire country. Dodger Stadium last night was maybe at 75% capacity and of the 75%, most of them were cheering for the Japanese team. A team that had stars like, Derek Jeter, David Wright, Jimmy Rollins, Ryan Braun manning the lineup could not draw the type of hype that is needed in America to drum up support for something new.

The fact remains that this competition does not get ratings because people have too many questions about it going in and its being broadcast at the worst time when it comes to grabbing people’s attention. March is the month that gives sports fans a slap to the face after having to deal with the boredom that a non-Olympic February brings (Heck some people are bored even during the Olympic years). March is of course the home of the NCAA Tournament which has us cheering for 18-21 year old’s who get no money from this cash cow to hit a couple of Free Throws late to seal a one point first round office pool win. To have the World Baseball Classic try to steal viewers from the tourney is like taking Candy from Shaq, its just not going happen. The WBC is flawed, with pitch counts, players not joining and MLB teams too afraid that there players will be hurt, long periods before games are played and of course the ever stupid seeding game.

The World Baseball Classic has four years until it rears its ugly head in March 2013 to try to fix itself to reduce the questions asked and to deliver more answers. This is a tournament that can succeed, but it certainly is along way off from taking off it’s training wheels.

By the way, Claudia Jordan, the Deal or No Deal Model, was fired last night….does anybody remember the USA-Japan score from last night?

-The Falk

The Reason why God invented the mute button

Please quit now while you're behind

Not only are the seats empty in LA, but Joe Morgan is broadcasting the game.  Maybe Major League Baseball thought more people would show up to the stadium to avoid accidentaly turning to ESPN while Joe was speaking. 

Joe is a trailblazer, he paved the way for Hank-isms.  For you younger readers, Joe is the Original Gangsta.

-Brenden

If the WBC is played, but nobody is there to see it, does it make a sound?

Annouced Attendance at USA vs. Venezuela: One (The Guy who took the Photo)

I was chillin here, basking in the glow that is Sports Illustrated giving Brenden and I some love on its Hot Clicks when I thought about just how sad the World Baseball Classic Attendance here in America has been.

According to Baseball-Fever, the attendance during the 1st round of the tournament was up 38% when the games were in San Juan, Toronto, Mexico City and Tokyo, as the international fans helped to make the 1st round a success. Then when the second round was moved into the United States for games in Miami and San Diego…..lets just say that Rick Sutcliffe should advert his eyes.

The Games in Miami and San Diego compared to the 2006 venues in Anaheim and San Juan saw attendance drop the same 38%. Here are some numbers from Baseball-Fever to back up these stats.

First Round attendance rose 38 % over three years ago, from 326,629 to 450,471, the average crowd increasing from 13,610 up to 18,770. But attendance gains in the First Round were soon squandered away in the Second Round.

Second Round attendance shrank 38 % over three years ago, from 283,880 down to 206,180, the average crowd shrinking from 23,657 down to 17,182. Ticket buyers in Miami and San Diego legitimately chose to pass on outrageously high priced tickets.

Now the stats can be looked at a little different. First of all Miami is a much bigger stadium then San Juan and really isnt a good stadium for anything other then football. Then San Diego hosted teams that other then Mexico really dont have a major following in America and comparing it to Anaheim, which had the American team playing there is somewhat unfair.

The fact of the matter is that Im sick and tired of hearing Rick Sutcliffe keep telling me how classic this tournament is, and the fact that this tournament means something to the players. It matters only a little what the players think and more about the paying customer, the fact that some bailed out is more then enough to make me believe that most really just don’t care. Its also evident that the fans really dont care and as a Mets fan, I could care less that David Wright got a clutch hit in March, talk to me in September when it actually matters for something.

The World Baseball Classic is almost over and a champion will be crowned come Monday Night, but with the economy still falling apart, (Hey Everybody, Obama cant pick College games right either!, he’s 11-5) and March Madness taking over our sporting lives this weekend, its gonna be hard for the WBC to make a stand this weekend. So the question still stands…

If the WBC is played, but nobody is there to see it, does it make a sound? From the looks of the attendance, the only noise your gonna hear is Rick Sutcliffe crying into his pillow. Now that’s what I call….CLASSIC

-The Falk

Dominicans stunned by Fighting Bigalows

In case you haven’t noticed, and based on the crowds at the 2009 World Baseball Classic, you haven’t, the Dominican Republic lost for the 2nd time to upstarts from the Kingdom of the Netherlands and is now out of the Classic after being heavy favorites.

As people all over the Kingdom were lighting up their Blunts and Bongs and picking out the best in high class female companionship from a roadside window in celebration of this momentous occasion, I’ve decided, as a man of 25% Dutch decent to give all of you the top 5 moments in Dutch history.

5. The Day that Windmills were invented

4. The Filming of Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo

3. The birth of former Indiana Pacers center Rik Smits

2. The moment when Sidney Ponson was introduced to Alcohol

1.  When Marijuana was brought into the country

– The Falk