Toronto Blue Jays Vs Minnesota Twins - ALWC

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Sainters7

I agree. I was all in on the Jays during the 2015 & 2016 runs, but the subsequent playoffs start times soured me. I still like it snd pay attention, but I refuse to invest the amount of time it takes to become diehard for Jays/MLB like I am with NHL/NFL when I can't even watch their playoff games due to them starting in the middle of the work day.

Wild Card / Divisionals I sort of get it, but holding the Jays ALCS series at the same time is when they lost me.

The problem is that the Jays aren't a big draw in the US, so they always get the worst time slot. It isn't that more time slots are bad, it's just that we get stuck with the worst one.

[Jason14h]

CalgaryPuck smarter then paid professionals as always!

Everyone is stupid but me !

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

Sure, some games are awful. But they can't control that. The more time slots they have, the more viewers they get. This is not rocket surgery.

Not necessarily. I'm not watching terrible primetime games for example. In America on Sunday you will watch your local team (usually in the 1pm slot) and then a really good game in the 4:25 spot. That's still the prime spot that gets first choice of games. A lot of families set aside Sundays to watch football and that's it. The rest of the days are busy. The more primetimes games you introduce, you worst they get, you're going into 4th, 5th, 6th choice territory.

Unless your team is playing in primetime, I don't think the viewership goes up that much. Sure there's betting and stuff but you don't need to watch a game to bet on it. People bet entire 1pm slates, up to 10 games at once.

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

The problem is that the Jays aren't a big draw in the US, so they always get the worst time slot. It isn't that more time slots are bad, it's just that we get stuck with the worst one.

I guess but say the wildcard teams were Yankees, Red Sox, Cardinals and Mets. Somebody would still be playing at noon and that's dumb.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

Not necessarily. I'm not watching terrible primetime games for example. In America on Sunday you will watch your local team (usually in the 1pm slot) and then a really good game in the 4:25 spot. That's still the prime spot that gets first choice of games. A lot of families set aside Sundays to watch football and that's it. The rest of the days are busy. The more primetimes games you introduce, you worst they get, you're going into 4th, 5th, 6th choice territory.

Unless your team is playing in primetime, I don't think the viewership goes up that much. Sure there's betting and stuff but you don't need to watch a game to bet on it. People bet entire 1pm slates, up to 10 games at once.



I guess but say the wildcard teams were Yankees, Red Sox, Cardinals and Mets. Somebody would still be playing at noon and that's dumb.

You're right, and they're wrong.

Look, your preferences are irrelevant. Core fans will watch EVERY game. If there are 3 time slots a week, they'll watch 3 games. If there are 8, they'll watch 8. The fact that you might not, does not change anything.

As for your baseball example, not sure what point you are trying to make. If all those teams are in, having 4 different time slots will generate more viewership than having them all play at the same time.

[Enoch Root]

Imagine, for a second, that you are a fan of multiple teams, or perhaps a fan of the sport and want to watch all the games, and they put all the games on at the same time - what would your reaction be?

Again, the problem isn't with multiple time slots, the problem is that our team gets the worst time slot.

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

You're right, and they're wrong.

Look, your preferences are irrelevant. Core fans will watch EVERY game. If there are 3 time slots a week, they'll watch 3 games. If there are 8, they'll watch 8. The fact that you might not, does not change anything.

As for your baseball example, not sure what point you are trying to make. If all those teams are in, having 4 different time slots will generate more viewership than having them all play at the same time.

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

Imagine, for a second, that you are a fan of multiple teams, or perhaps a fan of the sport and want to watch all the games, and they put all the games on at the same time - what would your reaction be?

Again, the problem isn't with multiple time slots, the problem is that our team gets the worst time slot.

I would love it. I can only devote a few hours a week for watching football and would love to have all the games in my time slot. I can channel surf or watch RedZone.

People watching 8 games per week in 8 timeslots? I don't think many people can devote that time on weekday nights. Even hardcore NFL fans have a limit.

Playoff baseball i should not have to be forced into watching afternoon weekdays and people in Minnesota should not have to skip work to get to the stadium.

And the children!! No kids can watch afternoon baseball.

[mrkajz44]

The research must show that staggering the game times brings in more viewership, so they do it that way.

(Fans of their team watching regardless of time slot) + (General baseball fans who watch because there is no other game on) - (Fans of their team that can't watch because of the time slot) = Maximum value

Hopefully at some point the formula changes enough to just have multiple prime time games as I think that's the trend in consuming spots, but we still have to wait on that day.

[bluejays]

How can anyone realistically say the early timeslot for a weekday playoff game in any sport, isn't dumb? There isn’t another sport that does that nonsense aside from MLB. Nobody PVRs playoff sports. Not all workplaces broadcast live sports either. I would bet if they pushed it later by an hour and staggered every game (with the late night one being later) they’d have more viewership. MLB is the only one expecting fans have the ability to take the time off. Or they’re conceding they don’t need that much viewership vs the later slots. It’s a pisspoor fan experience above all. But what does Manfred know.

[Inferno]

Originally Posted by bluejays

Not all workplaces broadcast live sports either.

Or allow their workers to stream games. I was lucky in 2015 that as long as we got our assigned work for that day done they didn't care that we streamed the game.

[KelVarnsen]

I work from home and I still think daytime games are stupid. I can't focus on work and game.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by bluejays

How can anyone realistically say the early timeslot for a weekday playoff game in any sport, isn't dumb? There isn’t another sport that does that nonsense aside from MLB. Nobody PVRs playoff sports. Not all workplaces broadcast live sports either. I would bet if they pushed it later by an hour and staggered every game (with the late night one being later) they’d have more viewership. MLB is the only one expecting fans have the ability to take the time off. Or they’re conceding they don’t need that much viewership vs the later slots. It’s a pisspoor fan experience above all. But what does Manfred know.

The only difference between MLB and the NHL, as an example, is that the NHL only has 2 playoff games per day. If there were 3, there would be 3 time slots.

It is what it is, and it is based on maximizing viewership. You don't have to like it.

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

The only difference between MLB and the NHL, as an example, is that the NHL only has 2 playoff games per day. If there were 3, there would be 3 time slots.

It is what it is, and it is based on maximizing viewership. You don't have to like it.

The NHL has never played a day playoff game on a weekday. Even in the first round when there are 4 per day

https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/nhl...h-stream-live/

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

The only difference between MLB and the NHL, as an example, is that the NHL only has 2 playoff games per day. If there were 3, there would be 3 time slots.

It is what it is, and it is based on maximizing viewership. You don't have to like it.

What? The first round of the playoffs would last a month.

Every other major sport has games at competing times, including playoff games. And this really isn't even the playoffs.

Now baseball does have a history of weekday matinee games on getaway days so there is that.

But the appeal to authority in this case isn't all that convincing. It really sucks for hometown fans who want to go to the games.

[greyshep]

I wish they would increase the number of playoff teams and have a proper format without the goofy wildcard setup. Shorten spring training by a week to accomodate the extra duration(its 37 days long!), have 16 teams qualify and play a more normal best of 5 first round.

[Sylvanfan]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

The NHL has never played a day playoff game on a weekday. Even in the first round when there are 4 per day

https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/nhl...h-stream-live/

Remember the Bubble?

The other thing is that Hockey, Football, and Basetball are all timed by clocks and have 1 to 3 longer breaks in the game. So there is a bit of predictability as to when the breaks will occur. Plus with East and West region teams in the playoff they have a reasonable assurance that they can get 2 games slotted for a later start. I'm sure people out East would much rather a Flames game started at 5 local time than 10 on a weeknight. So long as the Leafs game is at 7.


Baseball with at least 17 half innings really doesn't have predictable times for its longer breaks where people can flip over and watch the other game during a longer break in action.

[The Big Chill]

All baseball playoff series should be 7 games. Anything shorter just isnt a true representation of the teams since you don’t get to all the starting pitchers.

[Mr.Coffee]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

The only difference between MLB and the NHL, as an example, is that the NHL only has 2 playoff games per day. If there were 3, there would be 3 time slots.

It is what it is, and it is based on maximizing viewership. You don't have to like it.

I don't even understand why you're arguing this point?

Yeah! Fans who want to watch shouldn't be able to because we want corporate interests (possibly? doubtful?) maximized! Like are you even able to watch at 2:30 this week?

[Samonadreau]

Absolute garbage start times, jeez.

[Parallex]

Originally Posted by Sylvanfan

So who should be on the
I'd plan on Gausman/Bassitt/Kikuchi as the three starters. Maybe move Kikuchi to game 2 if they win game 1. But 7 relievers plus an extra starter to go long should be enough pitchers. They'll probably bring Richard's...I'd pick Francis over him if I could.

I think it would be fun if they announced Kikuchi as the starter for Game 2 and then pull a surprise and reveal that he was put in as the Opener and pull him after two innings to put in Barrios/Bassitt. Force the twins to empty their bench early or play with a suboptimal lineup.

[Samonadreau]

I get its easier for East Coast to catch these games than us, but the kids were pumped to watch some ball, we will probably get to watch a total of 3-4 innings on Wednesday out of the three games.

Hopefully jays make it past the WC and we get normal start times after.