Candy Corn Sports… What Happened to Baseball?

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Possibly the most popular, unpopular thing in America is Baseball.

Every year around Halloween, polls are conducted on what’s America’s favorite candy to eat. Oddly, a frequent top choice is candy corn. Candy corn, in my anecdotal experience, is eaten only during Halloween, and after which, mysteriously is absent from the stores and consumption from people. Candy corn is also not a candy in which the masses draw too or crave. It’s not a very popular candy, yet during Halloween, it’s everywhere. You will never see a kid skipping down the street eating candy corn in July, not a chance. So how is it so popular? The same way baseball is popular, it’s ingrained into Americana, but not by choice, by circumstance. I’ll explain.

Circumstance.

Baseball by and large is played without much interruption from other sports. Baseball is synonymous with summer, which is the time of vacations and overall group activities. From work outings to student five dollar night, baseball is an excellent option for group outings on the cheap. For most, that’s about as good as it gets. Unless you’re 55 and a White male, which is the current average demographic for baseball. Football average age demographic is 47, and basketball… 37, basketball is also the second most popular sport in the world, but that’s for later.

Though baseball is still very much popular, it’s not very much liked. The Major League Baseball All-Star game is this week, and more news and attention has been dedicated to Lebron joining the Lakers and where disgruntled San Antonio Spurs star Kawhi Leonard might get traded. The sport has become candy corn. Something only good for the special moment – the more enjoyable venture takes precedence once the moment is gone. Just like candy corn is taken off shelves as soon as November 1st hits, baseball is put on the backburner to football as soon as the calendar hits September. The patriotic sport with the most history has largely taken a back seat to the more popular sports of football and basketball.

How did this happen?

  1. Baseball has not embraced the Latin culture of its Latin players.
  2. The pace and the length of the game is the slowest and longest ever in baseball history, aka boring.
  3. The biggest stars of baseball are virtual unknowns outside their respective markets.
  4. Baseball doesn’t even generate funny internet memes.
  5. Baseball is largely absent from talks on social media to the workplace water cooler.

But unlike candy corn, which is relevant for only its “once a year” glory, baseball still has the distinction of being the most successfully solely Black run enterprise in America… the Negro Leagues. Baseball is also a much safer sport than football, and as previously stated a much more cost appropriate sport than basketball to see live.

But with all that being said, baseball has a decision to make… either be candy corn and marked 3 bags for five dollars and liked only as a niche market, or become relevant again and be embraced. If not, all it will be is a place for sales professionals to have “team building” ventures, and while there, only buy expensive beer and talk about if Lebron can lead the Lakers to a championship.

America’s changing… is baseball in fear of being left behind?

Similar Read: A Peak Inside American Sports: Cheers & Protests

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9 Responses

  1. Anonymous

    This article is spot on. The stadiums are mostly empty. Some even try to bribe guests to come by hosting concerts and other entertainment but that becomes the draw as opposed to the sport.

  2. Anonymous

    This article is accurate and I agree that baseball misses the boat when it comes to marketing itself and getting all kids to play ball. There are so many ways to truly reach kids and embrace different cultures already playing but it requires more than a photo op and media blitz. Players need to literally get on the field and play the game with kids more. Show the fun and opportunity baseball can provide. I could go on and on.

  3. Anonymous

    Your points are spot on. MLB’s marketing is awful. The common person in 2018 does not know who MLB’s biggest stars even are. Less and less kids in urban cities even think to pick up a bat, and like you mentioned, baseball does not embrace its Latin culture. Something is clearly missing. Its an afterthought to basketball and football. The sport should realize that a huge push will be made into soccer in the next 8 years, that could damage the sport even more.

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