No

by Ray Thomas

Created on: March 10, 2011

It could take months of intensive research to uncover a proposition as ridiculous as holding the MLB World Series at a neutral site.  There is no compelling reason to even consider it but there is most certainly a reason to reject the idea outright.  That would be the fans (short for fanatics).

No professional sport could continue to exist without the fans who buy the tickets and souvenirs, consume the overpriced food and drinks and, most importantly, root, root, root for the home team.  A neutral site would effectively eliminate the home team and any real or perceived advantage. 

Baseball’s regular season starts around the beginning of April and lasts about six months.  For the true fan, however, it begins much earlier, around mid February when the players report to spring training, and ends late in October with the completion of the World Series.  Unlike the other major sports, football, basketball and ice hockey, baseball is played just about every day.  So the fan is fully invested in his favorite team on a daily basis for nearly nine months of the year.  Let’s call him Joe.

First trimester:  Joe’s got tickets.  The seeds of hope have been sown, the players tune up in spring training and the regular season gets underway.  Joe’s hometown team hovers near the top of the standings as he cheers each victory.  He commiserates with his buddy about the dumb move the manager made that cost them last night’s game as the two of them debate about which hitter should be batting clean-up.  Not to worry, though, it’s a long season.

Second trimester:  Joe’s got tickets.  Things are starting to heat up now as the excitement begins to show.  The All-Star break comes and Joe complains that he’ll have to wait three whole days before his team plays again.  They’re still hanging in there but he’s worried because his favorite player on the team has been slumping.  Joe is certain that the team performance would stabilize if the relief pitchers could get their act together.  He wonders if team management will make a move before the trade deadline to get a player that could help put them over the top.

Third trimester:  Joe’s got tickets.  Anticipation rises rapidly and the pressure mounts.  The culmination of a long journey is in sight and the team is in a dogfight with their most hated rival for the top spot in the division.  As the regular season rolls into its final week the team hits its stride, captures the division crown and then battles through two tough playoff rounds.  A League Champion is born and Joe is an ecstatic proud papa!  He has rejoiced over every homerun and agonized over each botched ground ball but never, never did he lose faith.

Now, why, I ask would anyone want to deprive Joe of the opportunity to see his beloved team play a World Series game in their own ballpark?  Why deprive the team of that same opportunity?  They have played in that venue, in front of tens of thousands of loyal cheering fans almost ninety times during the season, including the playoffs, so what twisted logic says they should not play two, three or four more? 

The drama that unfolds as a baseball game is being played comes as much, if not more, from the fans in attendance as it does from the players on the field.  The fans all leaping to their feet in unison as the home town slugger sends a majestic drive over the right field wall is as much a part of the game as the bats, balls and gloves.  A World Series intensifies the game experience both on the field and in the stands.  The fans, who supported their team and cheered them to success, have the right to enjoy that experience.  The players, who worked so hard to reach the World Series, have the right to play in front of their own passionate followers.  The suggestion that the World Series be played at a neutral site should be an affront to every player and true fan.

Learn more about this author, Ray Thomas.
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