With baseball season fast approaching, Major League Baseball is going to test a new rule to shorten extra inning games. A runner will be placed on Second Base at every extra inning, with the hope that this will appease the fans who say baseball games are too long.
Long games have been a common complaint among fans for several years, but the games seem to be getting longer and longer. The average time pitchers take between pitches is more than 20 seconds. The Major League Rule Book states that pitchers are to deliver the ball within 12 seconds, or have that pitch called a ball. Batters are also responsible for delay of game, stepping out of the box to adjust their gloves, sleeves and pants. Maybe the existing rules should be enforced instead of adding new rules that seem a little silly.
The NFL also has their share of complaints about the length of the games. Commercial breaks can be quite long for those watching the game at the stadium, and the NFL should have centrally located video review like the MLB, so instant replays can be processed faster. The NFL is discussing having fewer commercials in order to shorten the games which average a little over three hours. NFL fans are on a rapid decline and this has definitely caught the attention of the higher-ups.
The length of the game doesn’t matter as much to us, as long as the action keeps moving. Long breaks and delays deter a lot of fans, and lose people who don’t have the patience for them. On the bright side, the delays are a great time to find the cotton candy guy or the nacho stands. That part of the game is really important too!