Even soccer is a competitor these days. If children continue to play soccer as persistently as they once played baseball, then soccer has a chance. Still, I will believe it when I see it. In the meantime football, baseball and basketball will dominate. Lucas says baseball parallels American history to a certain extent.
Baseball is perceived as too slow.
We want sound bites from our politicians, not long speeches or analyses. Video games lack subtlety but provide instant results, unlike baseball. Lucas says Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa's homerun duels helped re-energize interest in baseball. He also believes new ballparks, like Houston's, are deliberately designed to help big hitters rather than pitchers because homeruns provide the instant gratifications today's fan demands. NOTS Economic and pop culture factors are dimming children's interest in baseball.