What About The Game?

Here we are two weeks into the baseball season, with two new ballparks in town, and I hear, "The Jackie Robinson Rotunda (at Citi Field) is great", or "When will I see Keith Richards at the Yankees Hard Rock Cafe?" How 'bout, "Can I REALLY order a leg of lamb from the Stadium butcher shop?" Yes, boys and girls, you can and do hear such things in Flushing and the Btonx.

So, I ask all of you and seek YOUR thoughts: What about the game itself? Can you go to a game just for the game ITSELF, or do you need/want restaurants, museums, dunk tanks and the like to get you to the park?

If you read our blog regularly, you know that I LOVE the idea of a team, particularly my Mets and because of their legacy the Yankees, allowing fans to watch BP, go to Monument Park, or visit a Great Hall or Rotunda-BEFORE a game. Once the game starts, unless I am physically hurting, I'm there to watch. For me, baseball is a great game to learn, study and watch for strategic moves. From the time I was about 6 or 7 years old, I could watch a game-even knew how to keep score-and that was it.

Now, I understand a few things:

1. Our society is faster paced
2. There's more "stuff to do."
3. People-kids and grown ups, aren't as interested in taking the time to learn. We don't read as much as a society. We don't have time, and baseball is the one major sport with no time limit. Last Saturday, the Indians scored 14 runs in 1 inning against the Yankees. That half inning took 37 minutes alone. Meanwhile, the Mets-Brewers game that started at 1:10 was over just before the Yankee game started-2 hours and 33 minutes later. That's baseball.

I'd like to hear YOUR thoughts. Put aside for a moment crowded trains, parkways and high ticket prices. If the 'amenities' weren't there, could/would/do you still go to a game? Are you a person content with a hot dog and a drink, or do you want filet of sole at a 5 star restaurant overlooking the field-even though you already have good seats to watch the action?

If you have to have extras just to get into a game, why? The pace of the game? The dearth of pitching? Do you not know the game? Do you prefer offense or a pitcher's duel? Does baseball NOT do enough to market the game? I want to know. If you DON'T go to games (assuming for a moment you can afford to go)-and that is TOUGH in today's world) what could MLB/the Yankees and Mets do to grab your interest?

Finally, a VERY happy 5th birthday to Karis in Seaford. Karis, TODAY you are OFFICIALLY my favorite 5 year old. I love you Please hug Daddy and Mommy (aka Tony and Theresa) and big sister Aliya (my favorite 7 year old) All of you are awesome. I can hardly wait for the Imagination Movers Birthday Party Sunday :)