Baseball is one of the most popular sports in the United States, and it has been around for over a century. One of the things that make baseball unique is its start times. Unlike other sports, baseball games do not always start at the top of the hour. Instead, they start at odd times like 7:05 pm or 8:10 pm. This raises the question, why do baseball games start at odd times? In this article, we will explore some of the reasons behind this phenomenon.
Television Broadcasts
One of the primary reasons why baseball games start at odd times is television broadcasts [4]. Television networks pay a significant amount of money to broadcast baseball games, and they have a say in when the games start. Networks prefer to have their programs start on the hour or half-hour, which means that baseball games have to start at odd times to avoid overlapping with other shows. For example, if a network has a show starting at 8:00 pm, they would prefer that the baseball game ends before that time to avoid losing viewership.
Pre-Game Rituals
Another reason why baseball games start at odd times is pre-game rituals [1]. Baseball players have several pre-game rituals that they perform before every game. These rituals can include stretching, batting practice, and team meetings. These rituals usually take place at the top of the hour, which means that the game cannot start at that time. Therefore, the game has to start at an odd time to allow players to complete their pre-game rituals.
Travel Time
Travel time is another factor that contributes to odd start times for baseball games [2]. Baseball teams travel a lot during the season, and they need time to rest and recover before their next game. If a team has a game on the West Coast and has to travel to the East Coast for their next game, they may need an extra hour or two to recover from jet lag. This means that the game may start at an odd time to allow the team to rest and recover.
Attendance
Attendance is another factor that contributes to odd start times for baseball games [3]. Baseball teams want to maximize attendance at their games, and they schedule games at times when they think they will get the most fans. For example, if a team has a game on a weekday, they may schedule the game to start at 7:05 pm to allow fans to attend after work. On weekends, they may schedule games to start later in the evening to allow fans to enjoy other activities during the day.
Conclusion
In conclusion, there are several reasons why baseball games start at odd times. Television broadcasts, pre-game rituals, travel time, and attendance all contribute to this phenomenon. While odd start times may be inconvenient for some fans, they are necessary to ensure that baseball games can be enjoyed by as many people as possible. So, the next time you see a baseball game starting at an odd time, remember that there is a reason behind it.
