Q: With the decline in national market interest and TV viewership for baseball, how do you think changes in media coverage have contributed to this trend? What steps do you think could be taken to reverse this?
When discussing the decline in market interest and viewership for baseball, Steve Perrault acknowledges that it’s a complex issue, especially in terms of how the media has played a role. “This is always a tricky one for me, I’m not going to lie,” he admitted. “Because, you know, anytime I see ratings in local markets, they keep going up, and it seems like consistently the local audience is locked onto the baseball team. And to me, that’s what I grew up with too.”
He points out that there are still passionate fans at ballparks, especially among younger generations. “I still feel the passion when I go to the park. Some of the people that care most are the kids. It’s not just a bunch of old white folks walking around—it’s still a pretty balanced atmosphere at Fenway. And I see that in every park I go to.” However, he does acknowledge the challenge of competing with other sports like the NFL and NBA, which have massive media and TV presence.
Despite the common perception that Major League Baseball doesn’t market its players effectively, Steve has a different opinion.
While he admits there is room for improvement in TV coverage, he doesn’t fall into the trap of blaming the media entirely for the decline. “I try not to fall too much into the media’s impact. I use different tools for measuring stuff where I’m trying to gauge how much people care online. And you always know what’s going on nationally because you hear the voice of the people. I always think the voice of the people who don’t watch baseball is louder than your average fan, who just enjoys from their couch. I feel like you’re always going to hear the negativity over the guy who watched 140 games in the comfort of their own home.”
Steve believes the answer lies in how MLB continues to promote its players and engage with fans, especially through social media, instead of focusing solely on traditional broadcast methods.
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