ST. LOUIS, MO (KMOX) - America's pastime is under attack from boredom. Since before the COVID-19 pandemic, Major League Baseball has been fighting the narrative that baseball is not appealing to kids.
In a Gallup poll from 2018, only 7% of American kids under age 18 said baseball was their favorite sport to watch. That was the lowest percentage for the sport since Gallup first asked the question in 1937.
So how are the St. Louis Cardinals combating this "baseball is boring" narrative?
"We have kids at games and want kids to experience the enjoyment. On top of that, there are a number of different programs where kids can get on the field, like amateur games where high school teams play baseball after the Cardinals game," says Cardinals Director of Marketing and Brand Execution Martin Coco. He adds "Run the Bases Days" have also been popular with youth.
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In a 2016 Sports Illustrated article, All-Star outfielder Bryce Harper said baseball is a tired sport, because you can’t express yourself.
In other words, baseball is boring due to a lack of celebrations. In recent years the bat flip has become popular, in place of stoic four-bagger trots.
The pandemic didn't help, with no fans in the stands for a time.
Martin Coco says social media plays a part in getting excitement and awareness levels raised, "We connect with fans, interact with them (more each year). They get not only the primary message of who won the game or did the Cardinals make a trade, but also the day to day happenings. It's such an important way to connect fans to the Cardinals."
A 2017 study by Seton Hall University showed the average age of baseball fans is 57.