When Was The Last Time You Watched An Entire Baseball Game On TV?

October 5, 2012.

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That was the last time I watched an entire baseball game on my television screen.

In what would end up as the final game in the career of Chipper Jones, I watched nine innings of shenanigans ensue as the Atlanta Braves got infield fly-ruled out of the playoffs against the evil and diabolical St. Louis Cardinals in the National League Wild Card game.

The game itself lasted three hours and nine minutes, and it might as well have been 30 Hours. What up, Kanye?

You don't need me to tell you that baseball games are long like black church services or trying to go to brunch in San Francisco. You don't need me to tell you that the demographics of those who are watching baseball are trending in the opposite direction of what's considered young and diverse. You don't need me to tell you that baseball has a superstar problem, as you struggle to state who the "face of the game" is right now....don't worry, I'll wait.

Vox Media put together an awesome explainer as to why baseball games are long as hell. Of note, the 2014 season featured a record high for game duration — more than three hours — and it's something MLB commissioner Rob Manfred has made a priority with his focus on pace of play.

Baseball games are longer than ever. Here's why.

This isn't an article to beat up on what was my favorite sport as a child; it's more of a genuine curiosity. Does it take high stakes to watch a full game? Even during the World Series, I would still find myself flipping back and forth to a college football game or a terrible Thursday Night Football game. Watching an entire baseball game at the ballpark is a different scenario, because you're immersed into the setting and you've paid money to lock in.

It should be noted that new rules this season are in place to pick things up. An automatic walk thingy, time limits and limited replay reviews are now a thing. Will it really help, or is the toothpaste out the tube?

MLB, @MLB_PLAYERS jointly announce series of modifications that have been approved and will be in place in 2017 regular season. pic.twitter.com/QrDQWzWgwI

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— MLB (@MLB) March 2, 2017

I leave the question to you the reader: how long has it been since you watched an entire baseball game on TV? Please respond in the comments section.

11 Replies to When Was The Last Time You Watched An Entire Baseball Game On TV?

1. Dianne says:

   18/04/2017 at 2:02 pm

   Almost every night during baseball season. I listen to baseball on the radio & have the TV on in the back ground if I'm not outside gardening or taking a walk with a portable. Three hours is nothing when you have entertaining announcers talking about players and a game you love. We're lucky with the Texas Rangers to have HOF Eric Nadel and Matt Hicksie and Jared Sandler on the radio.

   • Jason Clinkscales says:

     19/04/2017 at 8:11 am

     Dianne, you touched upon something interesting there.

     So I've been an AtBat/Extra Innings subscriber for almost a decade, mainly because despite being from NYC, I'm neither a Mets or Yankees fan. I think there's something about what you said about choosing to listen on the radio or watch on TV.

     Depending on who you root for and where you are, baseball is the only sport where the announcers are incredibly critical in the enjoyment of a broadcast. It's not to say that isn't the case with other sports, but the faster pace of action in other sports almost puts the playcallers to the background a lot more than in baseball where they are absolutely essential to a slower paced game that has far less movement on screen. The Rangers have a good play-by-play team, so I definitely get your statement here. In some places, many fans think the the PBP team is almost a deterrent (Yankees, White Sox, Braves to some extent) to the enjoyment of a TV broadcast.

     • Ciara Renèe says:

       19/04/2017 at 9:57 am

       Here in Pittsburgh, when Greg Brown -- who's our radio PBP guy -- does our television broadcasts, they are so much better. Like, waaaaay better. He usually does the weekend broadcasts, which is a plus.

       • Silverfox8008 says:

         19/04/2017 at 12:50 pm

         Philly radio broadcast is better too. Although the addition of Kruk to the TV team has improved it immensely.

2. Silverfox8008 says:

   18/04/2017 at 1:27 pm

   To answer the question, I've watched a full baseball game on television within the last week.

   To propose a question of my own...why do people constantly cite length of games as a detraction to baseball when NFL games on average last nearly as long with an increasing number of games exceeding the average length of baseball games?

   • Rob says:

     19/04/2017 at 10:20 am

     Only thing I can think in that respect is that the length of the games is only an issue when also considering how often they're played. If they were once a week, people would probably complain about the length less. But other than that,

   • Jason Clinkscales says:

     19/04/2017 at 8:13 am

     I can write an encylopedia of a comment on this, but... yeah. You're not wrong.

3. Ciara Renèe says:

   18/04/2017 at 1:25 pm

   Sunday. Pirates v. Cubs.

   I actually prefer the radio calls over the TV broadcast but I feel like that's the 60 year-old White man within me lol.

   If you watched any game from last year, most folks will tell you that they do feel shorter. I've watched games that ended in less than three hours. Yes, you get that awkward 34 pitch fifth inning but for the most part, with solid pitching, you're done in three hours. tops.

   Honestly, it all comes down to whether or not you enjoy watching the game. I'm sure three hour football games are boring to you if you don't rock with the sport.

   • Carden Hedelt says:

     19/04/2017 at 8:33 am

     I also prefer the radio calls.

   • Jason Clinkscales says:

     19/04/2017 at 8:12 am

     Radio is far more essential in baseball than it is in other sports where the visual is incredibly critical to fans absorbing the game. I flip around the dial quite a bit when I'm out and about.

   • Eddie Maisonet, III says:

     18/04/2017 at 2:17 pm

     The fact that there's a 60 year old white man within you is the biggest revelation here. This is awesome. LOL.