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Ballparks aren't for the true fans
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The scoreboard at AT&T Park is dominated by ads.
Modern baseball stadiums, including the two in the Bay Area, do the best they can to make sure those in attendance enjoy themselves.
That is, unless you really want to follow the game. Those who run the stadiums, including
Baseball is a game of anticipation and reflection, and real fans use the down time to talk and think about what just happened and what might. But as if the game itself were not enough, the breaks between innings are taken up with games and gimmicks – dot racing, shell games, kissing cams, etc. All that is probably OK, if someone likes that sort of thing they should be indulged. But not at the expense of baseball.
How many times have I wanted to verify my scorecard and know how many hits the home team has, only to look at the scoreboard and see images of cable cars racing through the streets, the linescore having momentarily disappeared. Most of the time what is up instead is either some form of commercial or picture of what is happening on the field. Instead of being able to see the score by innings, we get a nice look at the relief pitcher warming up. If we want to see that, all we have to do is look at the field. Yes, the Giants are proud of the high def scoreboard. But if something is happening right in front of you that’s real high def.
The linescore should be up AT ALL TIMES. And at AT&T the technology is in place to both show a picture AND the linescore.
Both the Coliseum and Candlestick never used to take the linescore down. Now there are times in both ballparks where even just the score is not visible anywhere. If that’s progress you can have it.
And when the game is going on, at least AT&T has the lineups for both teams visible on the scoreboard. At Oakland only the lineup for the team currently batting is displayed. Where is the other team, in the parking lot? No, it is on the field. And if you forgot who is playing right field when the ball sails over an outstretched glove and off the fence, the scoreboard won’t help you. You better hope the person next to you is keeping score or listening to the game on radio.
Maybe the majority of those in attendance aren’t real baseball fans anyway. One of the more irritating between inning distractions at the Coliseum is offering the fans of choice of highlights to be shown on the scoreboard. Fans are given three choices and vote with their applause.
On the night earlier this season when
It’s a shame that with all the technology available, baseball makes things harder for its real fans and panders to those who are basically indifferent.
