Book review: Mitchell, L. (2016). Will Big League Baseball Survive?: Globalization, the End of Television, Youth Sports, and the Future of Major League Baseball.

Mitchell, L. (2016). Will Big League Baseball Survive?: Globalization, the End of Television, Youth Sports, and the Future of Major League Baseball. 1st ed. Philadelphia: Temple University Press.

If you ever wondered what political consultants get paid for, Will Big League Baseball Survive? might prove enlightening, not so much for what it says about baseball, but for how the author applies his research and analytical skills to sport.  Mitchell Lincoln is an American consultant and political analyst with a PhD from Columbia University.  He has been published widely in US mainstream media and has written three books on politics and democracy in the former Soviet Union and East Bloc countries.

His baseball book is something like a SWOT analysis, an acronym business students will recognize as a commonly used interpretive device: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats.  SWOT offers a business a snapshot of current operations in terms of what it already does well, where it is failing, how it might improve, and who or what it needs to worry about. Mitchell doesn’t structure his book in quite this way, but the concept (or something like it) is implicit in the discussion.

A letter to Pacific League TV

Dear Sir or Madam,

I have been a subscriber to PA League TV for the 2016 season and am writing to let you know how pleased I have been with your service.  I hope to renew my subscription for the 2017 season.  Please keep up the good work.

Here are a few changes I would like to suggest.  

Allow controls at full screen.  The present software removes all video controls when the full-screen option is engaged.  This can be frustrating whenever there is need to pause, fast-forward, rewind, or adjust volume.  

Add 10 second forward/reverse buttons.  These would be a huge help in navigating through a game.  

Increase video resolution.  Comparing your service with other sport streaming services, the video resolution is quite low. 

Add condensed games.  MLB VOD service offers games in four formats:  Live Stream, VOD Full Game, VOD Condensed and VOD Highlight.  The highlight film is similar to what you already offer at PA TV.  The condensed film runs 10-15 minutes, depending on the level of action in any particular game.  All of the relevant plays are shown, though not every pitch, nor every out.  There is no commentary on the audio track.  (Search [condensed game] at youtube for examples.)

Add a Facebook share button to video clips.  At present, only a Twitter button is available.  FB is by far a wider network, one which the Pacific League can use to promote its brand through attractive and interesting video clips.  

Hide scores in Archive.  I have sometimes been unable to watch games for a few days and when I go to the archive to find them, I have to make a deliberate effort to cover or avoid looking at scores.  

Thank you for your attention to this letter and thank you again for a wonderful service.  My last wish is that the NPB offer a streaming service for both leagues.

Yours sincerely,