Why is the sports media obsessed with demonizing baseball while the other two major sports, especially football, often get a free pass?
If they’re not criticizing America’s pastime for steroids, competitive balance, and the paucity of black players, it’s something like yesterday in Minnesota:
I saw this interview live. I don’t particularly like Bud Selig, but this was a 35 minute interview at a beautiful new park on a gorgeous day to start another exciting season, and the AP report makes a full article out of ONE totally unimportant part… since it’s negative.
Sure, some games are long, but who really cares, in the scheme of things? Fans generally do not.
How about the overwhelming positive of Major League Baseball here in 2010?
Along with a tougher-than-ever steroid policy, competitive balance is as good as it’s been in a decade. Don’t believe me? Consider that Minnesota has a higher payroll than LA while Tampa will compete all year with Boston and New York, despite a payroll about one-fifth the size.
Unlike NFL and NBA, MLB has:
- NO labor problems on the horizon (NBA and NFL could both lockout within a year)
- NO major off the field criminal issues (Arenas, multiple Pittsburgh Steelers, et al)
- Record breaking attendance (unlike the NBA and many NFL teams this past season)
- A short, compact playoffs (unlike the eight week marathon of the NBA beginning this weekend)
And so on…
I have believed for years there is an inherent media bias against baseball, which is why so many love the NFL, yet misunderstand baseball. I cannot enumerate why, but I have some theories…
About AJ Kaufman
