Whatever happened to the good ol' double header?
Question:Remember those days where one ticket paid for 2 games in the Major Leagues?
Answers:
What are the Rangers chances of making the playoffs this year?
Things have changed a lot since the 1800's. You have to wait for a rain out game to see a double header these days.How many hits did carl yaztrimski have in his career?
MLB realized that they lose money when they play 2 in the same day...Well, some say that it took to much out on the players...but I don't think thats true. But the MLB agreed with the people and now they don't have that many double headers anymore.=( *sigh*
Where can i sell a Baseball Glove?
Three factors killed the double-header.First and farmost was the advent of AstroTurf which for all purposes eliminated rainouts in the early 1970's when all you had to do was ride out the storm and vaccuum the carpet before yelling, "Play Ball". An offshoot of artificial turf is the improved drainage systems you see under all of the modern grass ballparks which make rainout extremely rare even if when there is a chance of rain.
Secondly, the Players' Union cried foul declaring that it was too taxing on the players thus phasing out double-headers by putting a limit on how many games a team could schedule in a row. This resulted in a very small window of dates available within the schedule where it is possible for a game to be replayed.
Finally the owners felt the sting of twi-light doubleheaders in the wallet when they examined the revenue lost from actually scheduling two games on the same day, a common practice up until the mid-70's. Not only were you giving away a game on the schedule (78 or so days vs. 81), you were losing a days income from the big television contract (both national AND local) while having to pay support staff overtime for being at the ballpark up to 10 hours.
That's why you are more likely to see make-up games PAIRED with a regularly scheduled game as part of a "day-night" double-header where they play the make-up, then clear the stadium before readmitting fans for the scheduled game. The only other alternative is to play the game on an "off-day" the next time the visiting team is in the area. The only problem with trying to sandwich a make-up into the schedule is the chances you might run afoul of the second part of my argument, the Players' Union's standard for consecutive games played.
Attention all Phillies fans..if there are any left?
Two words: ticket revenue. Two games in one day would mean the organization would lose money.You know all the owners are losing money right? --that's why the players make those outrageous salaries.
Heck, we can't have double headers any more, are you crazy!
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