I actually wrote this article three years ago. Since my feelings regarding the All Star game have not changed, I decided to republish it, slightly updating some of the content…
When I was a kid, the All Star Game was huge. The ratings were great and the games typically were very exciting. So why is the game so ho-hum now? Except for the huge crowds that are drawn to the stadium, no one watching on TV much cares anymore and that includes the most ardent baseball fans.
I’ll give you three reasons why the game isn’t a must see as it was years ago. Number 1: Years ago, the All Star game gave viewers a chance to see super star players who played their games out of town. A player like Willie Mays for example, came to New York two or three times during the season. The only other time you could see him was on NBC’s Saturday Game of the Week and the All Star game. Today with ESPN, MLB Network, TBS, and local baseball broadcasts, there is so much baseball on television you can see just about any player in the game a couple times a week. If you are fortunate enough to have some extra cash, you can get all out of market games by ordering MLB Extra innings through your cable or dish company or MLB.TV over the Internet. So the exposure for baseball and its stars is tremendous today. It is no longer necessary for the baseball fan to make plans to watch a single game in early July to see the stars of the game.
Number 2: Inter-league play has taken a lot of the magic out of seeing the National League players versus the American League players. Let’s face it. It would certainly be more interesting to watch David Wright and Johan Santana playing against Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez had they not already played 6 games against each other. Inter-league play, while generating huge revenue numbers at the gate, has taken a lot of starch out of the All Star game.
Number 3: The fans shouldn’t vote for the players or the game should not determine home field advantage in the World Series. Personally I would continue to let the fans vote and eliminate the home field advantage thing. The problem with home field advantage being determined is simple. Sure, David Wright, Johan Santana, and Francisco Rodriguez have a vested interest in winning because the Mets could possibly be one of the teams in the World Series. But how do players playing on last place teams get it up for the game knowing that whoever has home field advantage will have no effect on them because they will be watching the World Series like the rest of us—on TV? In other words, the home field advantage incentive is artificial.
If home field advantage is to continue, then the players should at least pick the All Star team. Shouldn’t the leagues be putting the truly best players out there to compete? And who knows better than the players themselves as to who the best players are? The voting is a joke because you can vote for your favorite player as many times as you like. Oh, I know there is a 25 vote limit but that’s per email account not per person. It’s not an All Star game as much as it is a popularity contest. That being said, most players at the game deserve to be there. You might question Derek Jeter being there but as long as he keeps playing, pencil him in.
The All Star game or should we call it All Star week has become a mjor event. With the Future’s game, celebrity softball game, and Home Run derby, the game itself is almost an afterthought. A large part of the crowd is made up of corporate owners, clients, and of course TV celebrities who are there simply to plug a new Fox television series or movie. Watch tonight and see how many of these Hollywood types are in attendance that does not know a baseball from a football. They’re simply there because some studio exec told them to sit in the first row and look pretty for the photo op to hawk a new series.
I will watch tonight for one reason, the Mets have three players in the game. But the game just doesn’t do it for me like it once did. The baseball execs know it too otherwise they wouldn’t have added Home Run Derby and the other bells and whistles over ten years ago.
Okay, now that I have bashed the All Star Game, what would I do to change it? First, I would get rid of home field advantage. It's a silly idea that really has not made the game more exciting. Second, I would remove the rule that requires just about every player to get into the game. Both leagues should play the best players and try to win the game. That's the way it was done for so many years. Not every All Star needs to get into the game. The one caveat would be with the pitchers. I certainly would not want to see Johan Santana pitch a complete game.
The All Star Game is what it is. It's an exhibition. However, if it is managed like a true baseball game, the players will compete and they will want to win the game, not just put on a show. And isn't that what we fans really want to see? We want to see baseball's greatest players competing against each other, not just making an appearance.
Note: The last All Star game the Mets hosted was in 1964, the first year Shea Stadium opened. That is unbelievable, 45 years since an All Star game was hosted in New York by a National League team. The Yankees have had the game three times since including last year when Yankee Stadium closed. Now that Citi Field is open, the Mets will host an All Star game in the next five or so years.
