World Series Game 5 has just gone into a rain delay in the middle of the 6th inning. It is 10:51 p.m. This series has already seen a game end at 1:47 a.m. EST. The weird thing is, I am pretty confident that both Philadelphia and Tampa Bay are in the Eastern Time zone.
Is it really that bizarre of a notion that ratings for a game on the east coast would be higher if people on the east coast had ample time to watch? FOX is destoying the Fall Classic. Four hour games lasting into the following morning may be the norm for Yankees and Red Sox fans, but not for those of us who like a little "baseball" in our baseball games.
At 2-2 in the 6th, Game 5 is shaping up to be a great game, but all most of us can do is go to sleep and hope that play is suspended until tommorrow. Now, obviously FOX and MLB did not plan on it raining all night, but when you start a game that you know will last at least three hours at a little past 8:30, you are just asking for trouble.
The real issue is that there is no issue for FOX or MLB. The World Series isn't about the fan. It's about the advertising and the sponsors (like most big-time sporting events). It would be easy to say that all sporting events are uber-commercial, but it seems like they are also on FOX (BCS definitely is). FOX thinks that by offering a different montage every half-inning they are helping create excitement for the fan. But baseball (and especially the damn WORLD SERIES) was plent exciting before FOX came along and started broadcasting ADDball!
The only saving grace that could come of this is a Rays turn around that would leave the city of Philadelphia crying in the cold, dark rain.
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