n”,”providerName”:”Twitter”,”providerUrl”:”https://twitter.com”,”type”:”oembed”,”width”:550,”contentType”:”wealthy”},{“__typename”:”Markdown”,”content”:”KANSAS CITY — Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred spent a day in Kansas City on Wednesday, touring potential new downtown ballpark websites whereas speaking to the Royals group and group in regards to the state of the sport.nnIn a dialog with Negro Leagues Baseball Museum president Bob Kendrick and Royals CEO and proprietor John Sherman, Manfred talked for an hour about the place baseball stands and the place he desires it to go. The trio talked in entrance of a gaggle of about 150 folks on the Kansas City Urban Youth Academy in the historic 18th and Vine District of Kansas City.nnKendrick asked Manfred a variety of questions about baseball in 2023, like how the new rule adjustments have impacted the sport. MLB attendance is up 9% this season when compared to the same number of games in 2022 — a total increase of more than 4 million fans and an average of 2,424 per game. Several areas have contributed to the boon in attendance, like the rule changes, a balanced schedule and the new playoff format. Manfred said the World Baseball Classic in March gave baseball momentum heading into Opening Day.”,”type”:”text”},{“__typename”:”Video”,”contentDate”:”2023-03-22T02:45:34.754Z”,”preferredPlaybackScenarioURL({“preferredPlaybacks”:”mp4AvcPlayback”})”:”https://mlb-cuts-diamond.mlb.com/FORGE/2023/2023-03/21/100c32a2-4556d75a-46b58170-csvm-diamondx64-asset_1280x720_59_4000K.mp4″,”type”:”video”,”description”:”Shohei Ohtani strikes out Angels teammate Mike Trout to seal Japan’s 3-2 win within the finale of the World Baseball Classic”,”displayAsVideoGif”:false,”duration”:”00:00:28″,”slug”:”mike-trout-strikes-out-swinging-6ccbae”,”tags”:[{“__typename”:”InternalTag”,”slug”:”season-2023″,”title”:”Season 2023″,”type”:”season”},{“__typename”:”GameTag”},{“__typename”:”TeamTag”,”slug”:”teamid-843″,”title”:”Japan”,”team”:{“__ref”:”Team:843″},”type”:”team”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”pitching”,”title”:”pitching”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”highlight”,”title”:”highlight”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”in-game-highlight”,”title”:”in-game highlight”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”world-baseball-classic”,”title”:”World Baseball Classic”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”game-action-tracking”,”title”:”game action tracking”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”apple-news”,”title”:”Apple News”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TeamTag”,”slug”:”teamid-108″,”title”:”Los Angeles Angels”,”team”:{“__ref”:”Team:108″},”type”:”team”},{“__typename”:”PersonTag”,”slug”:”playerid-660271″,”title”:”Shohei Ohtani”,”person”:{“__ref”:”Person:660271″},”type”:”player”},{“__typename”:”PersonTag”,”slug”:”playerid-545361″,”title”:”Mike Trout”,”person”:{“__ref”:”Person:545361″},”type”:”player”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”world-baseball-classic-final”,”title”:”Classic Final”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”send-to-news-mlb-feed”,”title”:”Send To News MLB feed”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”alexa”,”title”:”alexa”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”2-yahoo-mlb-ads-feed”,”title”:”2-Yahoo MLB Ads Feed”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”send-to-news-spanish-language”,”title”:”Send To News Spanish language”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”eclat-feed”,”title”:”Eclat feed”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”international-feed”,”title”:”International Partner feed”,”type”:”taxonomy”}],”thumbnail”:{“__typename”:”Thumbnail”,”templateUrl”:”https://img.mlbstatic.com/mlb-images/picture/add/{formatInstructions}/mlb/ac3lzi13f2wypn9jfuot”},”title”:”Ohtani followers Trout, seals Classic”,”relativeSiteUrl”:”/video/mike-trout-strikes-out-swinging-6ccbae”},{“__typename”:”Markdown”,”content”:”“There was a lot of buzz surrounding the game,” Manfred stated. “I think a lot of it did have to do with the rule changes, but it was other issues as well. We’re going to be running up about 9% this year. We are within shouting distance — we are hoping we get to 70 million fans. Knock on wood, we’ll get there. We haven’t been there in a long, long time. And it would be a real accomplishment for the game.”nnManfred emphasised MLB golf equipment’ efforts to draw younger folks to the ballpark, which he thinks is important to the way forward for the sport. Stadiums are creating stand-up areas and bar atmospheres to draw younger folks to a social setting, whereas MLB has made it an emphasis to extend youth participation in baseball across the country.”,”type”:”text”},{“__typename”:”Video”,”contentDate”:”2023-07-09T23:50:54.298Z”,”preferredPlaybackScenarioURL({“preferredPlaybacks”:”mp4AvcPlayback”})”:”https://mlb-cuts-diamond.mlb.com/FORGE/2023/2023-07/09/8f936800-4f7e4c5e-71887ecb-csvm-diamondx64-asset_1280x720_59_4000K.mp4″,”type”:”video”,”description”:”Commissioner Rob Manfred visits youth baseball and softball teams at the Commissioner’s Cup and the Jennie Finch All-Star Classic in Seattle”,”displayAsVideoGif”:false,”duration”:”00:01:08″,”slug”:”manfred-visits-the-finch-classic”,”tags”:[{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”kids”,”title”:”kids”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”all-star”,”title”:”All-Star”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”rob-manfred”,”title”:”Rob Manfred”,”type”:”taxonomy”}],”thumbnail”:{“__typename”:”Thumbnail”,”templateUrl”:”https://img.mlbstatic.com/mlb-images/image/upload/{formatInstructions}/mlb/ofkkmd8q8ymc7gbxqapt”},”title”:”Manfred visits the Finch Classic”,”relativeSiteUrl”:”/video/manfred-visits-the-finch-classic”},{“__typename”:”Markdown”,”content”:”“I am somewhere in between really and wildly optimistic about the upside of baseball,” Manfred said. “I think it begins with the fundamental quality of our game, that I do believe is the greatest game in the world. … The fact of the matter is, there’s one national pastime. To me, what that phrase means is our game occupies a special place in American culture that gives you a bedrock for which you can always grow.nn”We realized right at the beginning, right after I was elected [as Commissioner], that the key to fandom is youth participation. We learned when we looked at that space that baseball had slipped a little bit. We had gotten to the point where we were not the most participated sport in the [age] 12-and-under group. What do we do about that? We — us and the clubs — went out and invested really heavily in youth participation, particularly in underserved communities.nn“We’re now once again the most-participated group in the 12-and-under group. That formative participation builds fans for the future.”nnHand in hand with participation is attracting a more diverse audience to watch and play baseball. In the 2023 Draft, Black players made up 10 of the first 50 selections (20%), while 16 of the 50 (32%) were from diverse backgrounds, including Black, Hispanic/Latino and Asian. Ten of these players are alumni of MLB Develops, a diversity-focused programming offered in part by MLB and USA Baseball.nn“We feel like we’re making progress,” Manfred said. “We want to make that progress, because we don’t believe we can attract a diverse fanbase if you don’t have a diverse product on the field.””,”type”:”text”},{“__typename”:”Video”,”contentDate”:”2023-04-15T13:30:27.855Z”,”preferredPlaybackScenarioURL({“preferredPlaybacks”:”mp4AvcPlayback”})”:”https://mlb-cuts-diamond.mlb.com/FORGE/2023/2023-04/15/b244dd0d-efa930f5-df6025f3-csvm-diamondx64-asset_1280x720_59_4000K.mp4″,”type”:”video”,”description”:”Commissioner Robert D. Manfred, Jr., Sonya Pankey, CC Sabathia and Devin Johnson, discuss baseball’s next generation of black trailblazers”,”displayAsVideoGif”:false,”duration”:”00:39:26″,”slug”:”new-wave-panel-discussion-52831″,”tags”:[{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”jackie-robinson-day”,”title”:”Jackie Robinson Day”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”rob-manfred”,”title”:”Rob Manfred”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”PersonTag”,”slug”:”playerid-282332″,”title”:”CC Sabathia”,”person”:{“__ref”:”Person:282332″},”type”:”player”}],”thumbnail”:{“__typename”:”Thumbnail”,”templateUrl”:”https://img.mlbstatic.com/mlb-images/image/upload/{formatInstructions}/mlb/oycskzixbjer24s43uek”},”title”:”New Wave Panel Discussion”,”relativeSiteUrl”:”/video/new-wave-panel-discussion-52831″},{“__typename”:”Markdown”,”content”:”Kendrick famous that MLB has additionally made a concerted effort to appropriate the historic document with regards to recognizing the impression of Black gamers.nn“I go back to December of 2020, which I think was a landmark moment in Black baseball history,” Kendrick stated. “When Major League Baseball announced that it was going to recognize the Negro League for what we already knew it to be a Major League, and then roll into the annals of Major League Baseball history.”nnWhen talking about increasing diversity on the field, Manfred brought up the Jackie Robinson Training Complex in Vero Beach, Fla., where Jackie Robinson and the Brooklyn Dodgers used to hold Spring Training. It’s now a year-round multisports complex that was the home of the recently completed RBI World Series and hosts a variety of programs focused on offering opportunities for players from underserved communities.nn“There’s a game room there that’s essentially untouched from when Jackie Robinson went to Spring Training,” Manfred stated. “The idea that somehow this wasn’t going to be preserved, we were like, ‘We’ve got to figure out something to do here.’ We now call it the Jackie Robinson Training Center, and we developed an elite program for African-American kids.nn“When you ask about the future of the game, to me, that story may be more important than any of the business things.””,”type”:”text”}],”contentType”:”news”,”subHeadline”:null,”abstract”:”KANSAS CITY — Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred spent a day in Kansas City on Wednesday, touring potential new downtown ballpark websites whereas speaking to the Royals group and group in regards to the state of the sport.nIn a dialog with Negro Leagues Baseball Museum president Bob Kendrick and Royals”,”tagline({“formatString”:”none”})”:null,”tags”:[{“__typename”:”InternalTag”,”slug”:”storytype-article”,”title”:”Article”,”type”:”article”},{“__typename”:”ContributorTag”,”slug”:”anne-rogers”,”title”:”Anne Rogers”,”type”:”contributor”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”apple-news”,”title”:”Apple News”,”type”:”taxonomy”}],”type”:”story”,”thumbnail”:”https://img.mlbstatic.com/mlb-images/picture/add/{formatInstructions}/mlb/pef1lejsdgfvyjafdjyj”,”title”:”MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred on state of sport”}},”Team:843″:{“__typename”:”Team”,”id”:843},”Team:108″:{“__typename”:”Team”,”id”:108},”Person:660271″:{“__typename”:”Person”,”id”:660271},”Person:545361″:{“__typename”:”Person”,”id”:545361},”Person:282332″:{“__typename”:”Person”,”id”:282332}}}
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45 minutes in the past
For spending time with our associates, our group, business and civic leaders, and, better of all, the longer term baseball stars of Kansas City.
KANSAS CITY — Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred spent a day in Kansas City on Wednesday, touring potential new downtown ballpark websites whereas speaking to the Royals group and group in regards to the state of the sport.
In a dialog with Negro Leagues Baseball Museum president Bob Kendrick and Royals CEO and proprietor John Sherman, Manfred talked for an hour about the place baseball stands and the place he desires it to go. The trio talked in entrance of a gaggle of about 150 folks on the Kansas City Urban Youth Academy within the historic 18th and Vine District of Kansas City.
Kendrick requested Manfred quite a lot of questions on baseball in 2023, like how the new rule adjustments have impacted the sport. MLB attendance is up 9% this season when in comparison with the identical variety of video games in 2022 — a complete improve of greater than 4 million followers and a median of two,424 per sport. Several areas have contributed to the boon in attendance, just like the rule adjustments, a balanced schedule and the brand new playoff format. Manfred stated the World Baseball Classic in March gave baseball momentum heading into Opening Day.
“There was a lot of buzz surrounding the game,” Manfred stated. “I think a lot of it did have to do with the rule changes, but it was other issues as well. We’re going to be running up about 9% this year. We are within shouting distance — we are hoping we get to 70 million fans. Knock on wood, we’ll get there. We haven’t been there in a long, long time. And it would be a real accomplishment for the game.”
Manfred emphasised MLB golf equipment’ efforts to draw younger folks to the ballpark, which he thinks is important to the way forward for the sport. Stadiums are creating stand-up areas and bar atmospheres to draw younger folks to a social setting, whereas MLB has made it an emphasis to extend youth participation in baseball throughout the nation.
“I am somewhere in between really and wildly optimistic about the upside of baseball,” Manfred stated. “I believe it begins with the elemental high quality of our sport, that I do consider is the best sport on the earth. … The reality of the matter is, there’s one nationwide pastime. To me, what that phrase means is our sport occupies a particular place in American tradition that provides you a bedrock for which you’ll be able to all the time develop.
“We realized proper in the beginning, proper after I used to be elected [as Commissioner], that the important thing to fandom is youth participation. We discovered after we checked out that area that baseball had slipped a little bit bit. We had gotten to the purpose the place we weren’t essentially the most participated sport within the [age] 12-and-under group. What can we do about that? We — us and the golf equipment — went out and invested actually closely in youth participation, notably in underserved communities.
“We’re now once again the most-participated group in the 12-and-under group. That formative participation builds fans for the future.”
Hand in hand with participation is attracting a extra various viewers to observe and play baseball. In the 2023 Draft, Black gamers made up 10 of the primary 50 alternatives (20%), whereas 16 of the 50 (32%) had been from various backgrounds, together with Black, Hispanic/Latino and Asian. Ten of those gamers are alumni of MLB Develops, a diversity-focused programming supplied partly by MLB and USA Baseball.
“We feel like we’re making progress,” Manfred stated. “We want to make that progress, because we don’t believe we can attract a diverse fanbase if you don’t have a diverse product on the field.”
Kendrick famous that MLB has additionally made a concerted effort to appropriate the historic document with regards to recognizing the impression of Black gamers.
“I go back to December of 2020, which I think was a landmark moment in Black baseball history,” Kendrick stated. “When Major League Baseball announced that it was going to recognize the Negro League for what we already knew it to be a Major League, and then roll into the annals of Major League Baseball history.”
When speaking about rising range on the sphere, Manfred introduced up the Jackie Robinson Training Complex in Vero Beach, Fla., the place Jackie Robinson and the Brooklyn Dodgers used to carry Spring Training. It’s now a year-round multisports advanced that was the house of the not too long ago accomplished RBI World Series and hosts quite a lot of applications targeted on providing alternatives for gamers from underserved communities.
“There’s a game room there that’s essentially untouched from when Jackie Robinson went to Spring Training,” Manfred stated. “The concept that one way or the other this wasn’t going to be preserved, we had been like, ‘We’ve obtained to determine one thing to do right here.’ We now name it the Jackie Robinson Training Center, and we developed an elite program for African-American youngsters.
“When you ask about the future of the game, to me, that story may be more important than any of the business things.”