Eric Fisher
‏Verified account @EricFisherSBJ

MLB owners meetings have concluded. A few nuggets from Rob Manfred. With attendance still down 7% despite better weather, he signals new concern that are other issues at play besides rain/cold. '19 schedule could have some new tweaks inc 2-gm wknd series /1

MLB attendance has generally and gradually been declining since its peak of 79.48 million fans in 2007. That was 32,696 per contest. The average per-game figure fell below 30,000 last year for the first time since 2003.

Of course, this year’s numbers were deflated early in the season, when April brought brutally cold weather to much of the country. Through the first two-plus weeks of the campaign, baseball was drawing about 2,700 fewer fans per game — or about 8.9% compared to the previous April, as noted by Jeff Passan.

So, for a while, it was unclear how much the unseasonable temperatures were responsible for the decline. Now, however, the weather has warmed in most places. What has happened in the two months since the frigid start to the season? The league is still failing to keep pace with last year. Over the last two months, from April 16 to June 14, MLB attendance is still off 2017’s pace by 6.1%, or a total of 1,376,770. The decline isn’t all weather related.

1) Tickets are too expensive

2) Tickets are too expensive

3) Analytics have slowed the pace of play and reduced the number of balls in play, making for a less enjoyable product

4) Tickets are too expensive

I'll be at Wednesday's game....if anyone else is going.

I'll be there. We should meet up.

It's not just the tickets; it's the cost of everything else as well. You can be a crab-ass and say, "Well, don't don't eat or drink anything, or bring your food with ya!" And that makes some sense, but eating is part of the experience. God knows they barrage you with "Buy! Buy! Buy!" every step of the way, from the parking lot to the seat.

I'm glad I no longer drink....

Cool. I am at a corporate outing, going to Deuces and the Diamond Club before the game, and we have a box for the game. Meet up after or I can come down to your usual box seats during and buy you the beers I owe you?

Yeah it's super expensive to drink there, but what's live baseball without the beer?

Yeah it's super expensive to drink there, but what's live baseball without the beer?

Yeah, we can meet up after.

1) Tickets are too expensive

2) Tickets are too expensive

3) Analytics have slowed the pace of play and reduced the number of balls in play, making for a less enjoyable product

4) Tickets are too expensive

Yeah it's super expensive to drink there, but what's live baseball without the beer?

I bought a water on Friday because it was pretty hot. I usually never buy water. Six fucking dollars! I was going again on Sunday and my wife advised me to stay hydrated. I said, "One thing I won't be doing is buying $6 bottles of water. Beer has plenty of water in it."

It's not just the tickets; it's the cost of everything else as well. You can be a crab-ass and say, "Well, don't don't eat or drink anything, or bring your food with ya!" And that makes some sense, but eating is part of the experience. God knows they barrage you with "Buy! Buy! Buy!" every step of the way, from the parking lot to the seat.

I'm glad I no longer drink....

I was such a big analytics guy when Moneyball (the book) came out. I thought it was brilliant. I didn't count on everyone trying to do it at once! As with so much in life, it turns out doing things the stupid way is more fun.

When I was at the game Friday night there were four goofs behind me who were discussing the game through their version of "advanced analytics" the entire night. By "their version" I mean a lot of shit wasn't right.

The first time Omar Narvaez came up, the leader said to the other three, "This guys sucks. He's one of the worst players in the big leagues." Narvaez promptly doubled. The next time he came up the guy was going on again about how terrible Narvaez is- three run homer. Later in the game, with men on first and second Narvaez dropped a perfect sac bunt and the same guy went nuts on Renteria. Now, I hate sacrificing as much as anyone and particualrly think it's dumb with two men on. It would have annoyed the fuck out of me with a contending team. But that isn't the case. Anyway, if Narvaez really sucks as much as you said he did the first two times he was up, what are the chances of him having a three hit game? Isn't advancing the runners and staying out of the double play a good strategy?

My wife said to me, "That seems like a terrible way to watch a baseball game."

I bought a water on Friday because it was pretty hot. I usually never buy water. Six fucking dollars! I was going again on Sunday and my wife advised me to stay hydrated. I said, "One thing I won't be doing is buying $6 bottles of water. Beer has plenty of water in it."

I went to dollar dog Wednesday thinking I could buy a feast for the family for about $10. It really is a good deal. A few bottles of soda later and I'm back to pushing the total near $50. I have no problem keeping beer prices high to dissuade drunkenness and I understand specialty items should charge a premium. I think it would go a long way to make the staples of a park visit reasonably priced.

Tickets to baseball are comparatively (to other sports) inexpensive. White Sox baseball right now is dirt cheap to enter and sit wherever you want with free parking available to those really interested.

You can bring a sealed bottle of water in to Sox games, and refill it at water fountains.

At least at Kaminskey they let you bring some stuff in (not sure about Cub Park). But still, if you have kids....forget it. Might as well go on a weekend trip somewhere instead.

Plus, as people have said, the game has gotten so slow. If I don't take my Adderall, I might as well be wasted because I can't follow it.

The kid that runs one of the big White Sox Facebook groups (That's where Aggravated Bob is in case you're ever looking for him), goes to 100+ games a season. He isn't some rich guy, just a regular working man, but the White Sox are his passion. He doesn't drink and he generally refuses to buy Jerry's concessions. "CONCESSION OBSESSION" has become a meme within this group. Anyway, even this guy was willing to shell out for dollar hot dogs.

I don't drink either but I was determined to get a Sox helmet nacho when we were there in May. I think the nachos without the helmet was $16 and with helmet was $19? Anyway, that was my ballpark treat and I shared with Mrs Fella... a little. They were good and I got a souvenir for my work cave.

what is the site? I want to be where Bob hangs