Watanabe Shocks All - For Interleague Play
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Re: Watanabe Shocks All - For Interleague Play
[ Author: Guest: mijow | Posted: Nov 18, 2001 7:53 PM
]
I'm with the majority it seems in wanting inter-league play. Actually, the suggestion of having one 10-team league isn't so bad, because that would definitely bring variety to the schedule. Each team would have to play another nine teams throughout the season rather than the present five. In other words, they'd play the same team approximately 15 times instead of 28 times (!) with the current setup.
But something should be done about the post season. Instead of including just two teams, how about four? That would make the latter part of the season more meaningful for more teams, and keep the crowds up as well.
But something should be done about the post season. Instead of including just two teams, how about four? That would make the latter part of the season more meaningful for more teams, and keep the crowds up as well.
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The Players' Association and Pacific League owners has been saying for years that they want interleage play. In a poll on the Players' Association web site, 70% of the fans said that they wanted to see interleague play. The idea has been around for a while, but nobody has taken it seriously until Watanabe-owner has given his approval.
On November 14th the most powerful man in Japanese baseball said that there should be interleage play in 2003, and people were put into motion to make that happen.
Watanabe-owner said a few things, some I agree with, others I don't. But I'm wondering if he hasn't had some near death experience lately as I've been finding myself more and more in agreement with his statements of the past few weeks. (There was one other thing he sad a few weeks ago that struck me as odd for him, since I agreed with it, but I don't recall what it was.)
Among some of the more controversial ideas put forth by 'Nabe was moving toward a single league with 8 to 10 teams. Personally, I'm against such a move. A few games beween leagues to get some variety in sounds great! But reducing the number of teams and having just a few more rivals to play against over and over again doesn't sound like the right way to go to me.
I think that I may know why Watanabe-owner is so keen on the idea of playing against the Pacific League now. He sites declining interest in baseball as a reason to "do something about it," yet there was actually an overall rise in attendance last season, including a new record for the Pacific League of 10,124,000 fans, a rise of 5.8% from the previous year. However, in the Central League, while the Giants set a new attendance record with 3,761,500 fans, there was a total of 12,799,500 through the gates in the league, down 0.6% from the previous year. Since the Pacific League had less overall, the difference for both leagues put together from the previous season was 482,500 fans on the positive side.
I think that this shift in interest to the Pacific League is a big factor in Watanabe's decision.
Nonetheless, while some in the Central League declined to comment, the overall reception of this statement has been positive. A Tokyo Dome series between the Giants and Fighters, an Osaka series between the Tigers and Buffaloes, a Bay series between the BayStars and Marines all sound like they can drum up some interest to me.
Well, I'm already looking forward to the 2003 season.