Many believed that Major League Baseball could have been well positioned to have the attention of sports-starved fans focused on it this summer, becoming the first major sport back with its summer season and a more social-distanced game than the others like the NBA, NFL and NHL. But instead, not only has that opportunity been lost, but baseball fans have watched a debacle unfold as billionaire owners and millionaire players have bickered for months over money, raising hopes that a deal was within reach, only to pull back from that, and ultimately failing to reach an agreement. All this while millions of Americans have lost ther jobs due to the economic effects of the pandemic. The fallout for baseball may be lasting. Henry Schaefer, executive VP of Q Scores, which measures favorability of athletes, celebrities and companies, told Time, “Baseball’s going to take a hit.” This comes as Time notes that baseball was already facing serious challenges, including few stars with high Q-ratings, fallout from the Houston Astros cheating scandal, and long games that don’t appeal to younger fans.
(Time)